FROM   THE   LIBRARY  OF 
REV.   LOUIS    FITZGERALD    BENSON,   D.  D. 

BEQUEATHED    BY   HIM   TO 

THE   LIBRARY  OF 

PRINCETON  THEOLOGICAL   SEMINARY 


DMato*    SCB 

Section        /WW 


PSALMODIA, 


PASTOR'S  PLEA  FOR  SACRED  PSALMODY. 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2012  with  funding  from 

Princeton  Theological  Seminary  Library 


http://archive.org/details/psalpastoOOfree 


"  NOV    2   1932  * 

,IA,      .^v 


pastor's  $lra  for  satrrtr  Jisafmols. 


"  Psalmody  is  the  exercise  and  worship  of  heaven  ;  and 
there  is  just  so  much  of  heaven  on  earth,  as  there  is  of  the 
true  spirit  of  psalmody." — Ev.  Mag. 


</ 


BY    F.   FREEMAN, 

EECTOIt  OF  ST.  DAVID'S  CHURCH,  MANAYUNK. 


PUBLISHED  BY  EZRA  COLLIER, 

No,  H8  Nassau  st.  New-York, 

AND  BY  J.  WHETHAM,  22  SOUTH   FOURTH  ST.  PIIILAD. 


18  3  6. 


Entered  according  to  the  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year 
1S36,  by  J.  Whetham,  in  the  Office  of  the  Clerk  of  the 
District  Court  of  the  Eastern  District  of  Pennsylvania. 


WUIIAH      STATELY,     PHISTER, 

No.  12  Pear  Street. 


ADVERTISEMENT. 

The  following  pages  are  submitted  to  the 
public,  with  the  hope  that  they  may  contribute 
to  awaken  a  greater  interest,  and  promote  more 
■correct  views,  in  relation  to  the  important  sub- 
ject therein  discussed.  They  embody  the  sub- 
stance of  an  address  on  Sacred  Psalmody,  deli- 
vered by  the  author  to  the  congregation  of  his 
charge,  with  some  additional  matter  and  occa- 
sional notes.  He  has  been  surprised  to  find  so 
little  written  on  this  interesting  subject ;  and 
confidently  hopes  that  if  these  pages  accom- 
plish no  greater  good,  they  will  at  least  suggest 
io  some  friend  of  Church  Psalmody  the  impor- 
tance of  taking  up  and  pursuing  the  subject 
with  an  abler  pen. 

July  28,  1836. 


"IT  was  for  the  raising  up  of 
men's  hearts,  and  the  sweeten- 
ing OF  THEIR  AFFECTIONS  TO- 
WARDS GOD,  THAT  THE  PROPHET 
DAYID,  HAVING  HAD  SINGULAR 
KNOWLEDGE,  NOT  IN  POETRY 
ALONE,  BUT  IN  MUSIC  ALSO,  JUDG- 
ED THEM  BOTH  TO  BE  THINGS  MOST 
NECESSARY     FOR      THE     HOUSE     OF 

god." — Hooker. 


DEDICATION. 
TO  THE 

choir  of  st.  david's, 

AND 

TO    THE    CONGREGATION   OF    THE    SAME, 

THIS 

PLEA    FOR    SACRED    PSALMODY 

TS    RESPECTFULLY    DEDICATED, 

WITH  THE 

BEST     WISHES 

OF  THEIR  AFFECTIONATE 

PASTOR. 


PSALM   79. 

From  the  100th  Psalm  of  David, 

1.  With  one  consent  let  all  the  earth 
To  God  their  cheerful  voices  raise ; 

Glad  homage  pay  with  awful  mirth, 
And  sing  before  him  songs  of  praise ; 

2.  Convinced  that  he  is  God  alone, 
From  whom  both  we  and  all  proceed; 

We  whom  he  chooses  for  his  own, 
The  flock,  that  he  vouchsafes  to  feed, 

3.  0  enter  then  his  temple  gate, 
Thence  to  his  courts  devoutly  press; 

And  still  your  grateful  hymns  repeat, 
And  still  his  name  with  praises  bless. 

4.  For  he's  the  Lord,  supremely  good  ; 
His  mercy  is  for  ever  sure; 

His  truth,  which  always  firmly  stood, 
To  endless  ages  shall  endure. 


CONTENTS. 

PART    I.  PAGE 

I-VTRODUCTORT  REMARKS,                                       -            -  13 

PART    II. 

THE  DUTY   OF  SI>'GIXG  COd's  PRAISE. 

Chap.     1.  God  requires  our  worship,  19 

"         2.  Music  of  divine  institution,  24 

"         3.  Continued  in  the  New  Testament,  -  32 

PART  III. 

THE  3UXXER  IX  WHICH  THE  DUTY   SHOULD   BE 
PERFORMED. 

Chap.     1.  There  must  be  music  in  the  song,      -  39 

2.  The  voice  must  be  cultivated,            -  46 

3.  The  ear  must  be  improved,  50 

4.  The  singing  should  be  congregational,     54 

5.  The  sentiment  appropriate,  60 

6.  Expression, 70 

7.  Tunes, 7S 

8.  Instrumental  accompaniment,           -  93 

9.  The  deportment,     -         -         -         -  100 

10.  The  heart  engaged,          -         -         -  102 

11.  The  duty  to  be  performed  to  God,     -  106 

12.  The  Holy  Spirit's  influence,    -         -  110 

PART  IV. 

Conclusion,                             -         -         -         -  115 

Appendix,               127 


"  Next  unto  theology,  I  give 

THE  PLACE    AND    HIGHEST  HONOUR 

unto  music." — Martin  Luther. 


PLEA  FOR  PSALMODY. 


PART  I. 

INTRODUCTORY  REMARKS. 

"  Sing  praises  to  God,  sing  praises  ;  sing  praises 
unto  our  King,  sing  praises  ;  for  God  is  the 
King  of  all  the  earth,  sing  ye  praises  with  un- 
derstanding."— Ps.  xlvii.  6,  7. 

David  was  not  only  an  inspired  prophet, 
but  a  divine  poet  and  an  eminent  musi- 
cian. His  Psalms,  which  were  originally 
written  in  Hebrew,  appear  to  have  been 
designed  for  the  stated  use  of  God's  people 
in  public  worship.  The  words  of  the  Psalm- 
ist above  recited  are  a  part  of  a  hymn  which 
he  composed  to  celebrate  in  prospect,  the 


14  PLEA   FOR     PSALMODY. 

ascension  of  our  blessed  Redeemer.  Fore- 
telling that  glorious  event,  the  Psalmist 
says,  "God  is  gone  up  with  a  shout— the 
Lord  with  the  sound  of  a  trumpet;"  and 
then,  as  if  with  ecstacy  of  devotion,  he 
exclaims  in  the  words  before  us,  "  Sing 
praises  to  God,  sing  praises;  sing  praises 
unto  our  King,  sing  praises;  for  God 
is  the  King  of  all  the  earth;  sing  ye 
praises  with  understanding.''1 

That  the  celebration  of  God's  praise,  in 
sacred  psalmody,  is  a  divine  institution, 
there  can  be  no  reasonable  doubt;  and  we 
have  good  reason  to  believe  that  it  has 
been  from  the  commencement  of  social 
worship  in  the  world.  As  when  creation 
was  first  launched  from  its  mighty  Maker's 
hand,  "the  morning  stars  sang  together, 
and  all  the  sons  of  God  shouted  for  joy,"* 

*  Job  xxxv iii.  7. 


PLEA     FOR    PSALMODY.  15 

so  it  would  seem  that  this  primeval  exam- 
ple was  early  imitated  on  earth. 

If  we  go  back  to  the  time  of  Israel's  de- 
livery out  of  Egypt,  we  find  that  whole 
people,  in  one  great  congregation,  on  the 
shores  of  the  Red  Sea,  celebrating  in  the 
song  of  Moses  their  wonderful  deliverance, 
and  the  signal  overthrow  of  their  enemies.* 
And  although  this  is  the  first  instance  on 
record,  by  which  we  have  certain  evidence 
of  the  early  use  of  sacred  psalmody  in  the 
worship  of  God,  we  may  well  suppose  that 
since  it  is  not  mentioned  by  the  sacred 
penman  as  then  first  practised,  it  was  not 
the  first  time  that  the  Church  so  worship- 
ped. Scripture,  it  is  true,  is  silent  on  the 
subject;  but  it  is  not  unreasonable  to  sup- 
pose that  from  the  time  of  Jubal,  the 
grandson  of  Methusael,  who  "  was  the  fa* 

*  Exodus  xv. 


16  PLEA    FOR    PSALMODY. 

ther  of  all  such  as  handle  the  harp  and 
organ,"*  music  has  been  cultivated,  not 
only  as  a  polite  art  and  accomplishment, 
but  as  a  mode  of  social  worship,  if  not  from 
the  very  creation  of  man. 

It  is  the  worship  of  the  heavenly  world ; 
and  why  should  it  not  from  the  very  begin- 
ning have  been  the  expression  of  adoring 
gratitude,  and  love  and  praise,  by  the  ra- 
tional inhabitants  of  earth? 

That  to  which  we  have  already  advert- 
ed, before  a  note  could  have  been  tuned  by 
mortal  lips,  is  not  the  only  instance  in 
which  the  holy  intelligencies  of  heaven  are 
represented  as  celebrating  the  praises  of 
God  in  holy  song.  When  God  appeared 
on  earth  in  fashion  as  a  man,  "  a  multitude 
of  the  heavenly  host"  came  down,  and  in 
anthems  sweet,  sang  "Glory  to  God  in  the 

*  Genesis  iv.  21. 


PLEA    FOR    PSALMODY.  17 

highest,  and  on  earth  peace,  good  will  to- 
ward men."*  And  so  they  are  represented 
by  the  Revelator  as  praising  God  in  hea- 
ven, f 

"Their  golden  harps  they  take, 
Harps  ever  tuned  :"  redeemed  and  angels  join 
In  harmony ;»" and  with  preamble  sweet 
Of  charming  symphony,  they  introduce 
Their  sacred  song,  and  waken  raptures  high  : 
No  voice  exempt — no  voice  but  well  can  join 
Melodious  part." 

The  numerousi^tances  of  praise  offer- 
ed to  God  in  sacred  melody,  recorded  both 
in  the  Old  Testament  and  in  the  New,  it 
may  be  impracticable  here  to  mention. 
The  Holy  Scriptures  abound  with  these 
instances,  and  show  that  music  has  ever 
found  a  place  in  the  public  worship  of  God 
in  every  period  of  the  Church.  But  that 
the  obligation  to  worship  God  in  this  way, 

*  Luke  ii.  13,  14.    t  Revelation  v.  9—13,  &  xiv.  1—3. 


18  PLEA    FOR   PSALMODY. 

and  that  the  manner  of  worshipping  him 
with  acceptance,  may  be  the  more  obvious, 
we  may  advert  to  other  instances  whilst 
we  consider  the  duty  of  singing  God's 
praise,  and  the  manner  in  which  this  duty 
should  be  performed. 


PLEA    FOR    PSALMODY.  19 


PART  II. 


CHAPTER  I. 

GOD  REQUIRES  OUR  WORSHIP. 

"  If  a  man  is  grateful  to  his  benefactor,  he  will  tell  him 
so  ;  if  no  acknowledgments  are  made,  and  no  outward 
signs  of  gratitude  manifest  themselves,  he  will  be 
chargeable  with  ingratitude.  But  if  expressing  our 
gratitude  and  praise  from  time  to  time,  in  words,  is  by 
the  Deitt  required  of  us  as  a  duty,  if  it  is  beneficial 
to  ourselves,  and  if,  as  an  example,  it  has  good  effects 
on  our  fellow  men,  no  argument  can  be  necessary  to 
prove  the  propriety  of  the  practice  of  public  worship." 

Br.  Beattie. 

That  social  and  public  worship  of  the  infi- 
nite fountain  of  all  being  and  blessedness, 


20  PLEA    FOR    PSALMODY. 

in  some  form,  is  a  duty  of  perpetual  obli- 
gation, is  taught  even  by  the  light  of  na- 
ture, and  the  voice  of  reason,  as  well  as 
by  the  authority  of  revelation,  and  is  ad- 
mitted by  almost  all  people.  Its  important 
relation  to  the  interests  of  society  has  been 
felt  and  confessed  even  by  infidels,  whilst 
the  true  worshipper  finds  in  the  perform- 
ance of  this  duty,  the  most  sublime  plea- 
sure and  satisfaction.  The  worship  which 
he  offers  as  a  duty,  he  realizes  also  as  the 
highest  privilege,  the  principle  of  obedi- 
ence being  always  found  the  source  of 
all  true  enjoyment.  In  the  spirit  of  true 
devotion,  uniting  our  homage  to  our  Maker, 
with  the  offerings  of  others,  we  practi- 
cally recognize  one  common  origin — one 
Father  in  heaven — ourselves  sustaining  the 
same  filial  relation — brethren  and  children 
of  one  family — acknowledging  the  same 
dependence— having  the  same  interests— 


PLEA    FOR    PSALMODY.  21 

feeling  the  same  obligations — needing  the 
same  mercies — engaged  in  the  same  ser- 
vice— seeking  the  same  salvation — looking 
forward  to  the  same  eternity — hoping  for 
the  same  heaven;  and  we  find  that  it  is 
good  thus  to  worship.  We  become  attach- 
ed to  the  employment,  and  as  the  love  of 
God  warms  in  our  hearts,  our  affectionate 
and  adoring  thoughts  of  Him  increasing 
with  the  elevation  of  our  devotion,  we  feel 
a  nearness  of  affection  one  to  another. 

Such  thoughts  and  feelings  possessed  the 
soul  of  the  pious  Psalmist  when  he  exclaim- 
ed, "  I  was  glad  when  they  said  unto  me, 
Let  us  go  into  the  house  of  the  Lord;"* 
and  similar  views  and  feelings,  in  relation 
to  this  duty,  possess  the  heart  and  influence 
the  conduct  of  all  who  truly  worship  God. 
They  can  say   with   David,  "  One   thing 

*  Psalm  cxxii.  1. 


22  PLEA    FOR    PSALMODY. 

have  I  desired  of  the  Lord,  that  will  I  seek 
after ;  that  I  may  dwell  in  the  house  of  the 
Lord  all  the  days  of  my  life,  to  behold  the 
beauty  of  the  Lord,  and  to  inquire  in  his 
temple."* 

He  who  is  the  former  of  our  bodies,  the 
father  of  our  spirits,  and  the  preserver  of 
our  lives,  will  be  glorified  by  the  works  of 
his  hands.  He  requires  our  worship,  and 
knows  what  is  for  our  good,  delighting  in 
the  prosperity  of  his  servants,  and  wonder- 
fully and  graciously  adapting  his  worship, 
as  a  means  of  grace,  to  our  necessities. 

That  the  worship  of  the  true  God  has, 
from  time  immemorial,  been  generally  con- 
ducted, among  all  Christian  people,  with 
the  aid  of  music,  history  furnishes  full  evi- 
dence. From  this  fact  that  the  public 
worship  of  God  by  music  has  always  been 

♦Paalm  xxvii.  4. 


PLEA    FOR    PSALMODY.  23 

practised  by  the  Church,  receiving  the  di- 
vine sanction  in  the  blessings  which  have 
been  poured  upon  her  in  every  age,  we 
might  naturally  infer  the  duty.  There  can 
be  no  room  for  doubt,  however,  if  it  be 
found  by  direct  evidence  to  be  of  divine 
institution.  That  it  is  we  shall  show  in 
the  next  chapter. 


24  PLEA     FOR     PSALMODY. 


CHAPTER  II. 

DIVINE  INSTITUTION   OF  MUSIC,  UNDER  THE  OLD 
TESTAMENT  DISPENSATION. 

"  Let  all  the  people  praise  thee,  O  God  ;  yea,  let  all 
the  people  praise  thee." — David. 

That  singing  the  praise  of  God  was  an  or- 
dinance enjoined  upon,  and  practised  by 
the  Church  under  the  Old  Testament  dis- 
pensation is  evident  from  the  many  inspired 
psalms  or  songs  which  were  given  to  be 
used  by  the  Church  in  solemn  acts  of  wor- 
ship. We  have  already  adverted  to  that 
which  "Moses  and  the  children  of  Israel" 
sang,  when  Pharoah  and  his  host  were 
drowned  in  the  Red  Sea.  Just  before  Moses 
received  the  summons  from  God  to  view 


PLEA    FOR    PSALMODY.  25 

the  promised  land  and  die,  he  was  directed 
of  God  to  write  a  song,  "and  teach  it  to 
the  children  of  Israel,  and  put  it  in  their 
mouths,"*  which  we  are  told  he  did  as  he 
was  commanded.f  We  find  also  conspicu- 
ous in  the  Old  Testament-scriptures,  "the 
song  of  Deborah,"J  and  of  Hannah.§  And 
in  the  days  of  David  we  find  appointed  in 
the  Church,  by  divine  direction,  an  order 
of  persons  called  "  Singers,"  who  were  to 
preside  over  and  lead  in  this  part  of  public 
worship. ||  These  "whom  David  set  over 
the  service  of  song  in  the  house  of  the 
Lord,"  kept  up  that  service,  it  appears,  in 
the  tabernacle,  until  the  first  temple  was 
built  by  Solomon.  This  service  being  con- 
tinued by  Solomon  in  the  temple,  they  then 
"waited  on  their  office"  there,  as  in  the 

*  Deut.  xxxi.  19.  t  Deut.  xxxi.  22 ;  &  xxxii.  1—43. 

t  Judges  v.    $  1  Samuel  ii.    HChron.  vi.  31 ;  &  xvi.  4 — 43. 

B 


26  PLEA    FOR   PSALMODY. 

tabernacle  afore.*  The  same  worship  was 
re-established  by  Ezra,  as  soon  as  the  foun- 
dation of  the  second  temple  was  laid.t 

Those  whom  David  appointed  especially 
to  superintend  and  lead  the  service  of  the 
sacred  song,  in  the  tabernacle,  were  "  He- 
man,  Asaph,  and  Ethan,  one  of  each  of  the 
three  houses  of  the  Levites ;"  and  such  was 
the  order  observed  in  this  honour  and  ser- 
vice,  that    each    must  know    his    place, 

*  "And  they  ministered  before  the  dwelling-place  of  the 
tabernacle  of  the  congregation  with  singing  until  Solomon 
had  built  the  house  of  the  Lord  in  Jerusalem  ;  and  then 
they  waited  on  their  office,  according  to  their  order." 
1  Chronicles  vi.  32.  See  also  2  Chronicles  v.  12,  13,  14. 
Bishop  Patrick  considers  part  of  this  passage,  viz.  that 
"  when  the  trumpeters  and  singers  lift  up  their  voice,  and 
praised  the  Lord,  the  house  was  filled  with  a  cloud  so  that 
the  priests  could  not  stand  to  minister,"  as  an  "  intimation 
that  the  Levitical  priesthood  would  cease,  and  stand  no 
longer  to  minister  when  the  Messiah  should  come;"  the 
sacrifices  of  praise  and  thanksgiving  being  still  accepted. 

tEzra  iii.  10,  11. 


PLEA    FOR    PSALMODY.  27 

Asaph  standing  on  the  right  hand  of  He- 
man,  and  Ethan  on  their  left;*  whilst  Aaron 
and  his  sons,  as  priests,  must  offer  "upon 
the  altar  the  burnt-offering,  and  on  the 
altar  of  incense,  and  were  appointed  for 
all  the  work  of  the  place  most  holy,  and  to 
make  an  atonement  for  Israel,  according  to 
all  that  Moses,  the  servant  of  God,  had 
commanded,"  in  giving  the  ceremonial 
law.t 

The  singing  of  Psalms,  as  an  act  of  re- 
ligious worship,  we  have  seen  "  was  used 
in  the  Church  before  the  giving  of  the  cere- 
monial law,J  and  therefore  is  to  be  consi- 
dered as  neither  a  part  of  it,  nor  abolished 
with  it."§     Nor  should  it  be ;  for,  as  a  dis- 

*  1  Chron.  vi.  33, 39, 44.    1 1  Chron.  vi.  49.    \  Exodus  xv. 

§Mr.  Henry  says  that  David  "  was  raised  up,  qualified, 
and  spirited  for  the  establishing  of  the  ordinance  of  singing 
Psalms  in  the  Church  of  God,  as  Moses  and  Aaron  were  in 
their  day  for  the  settling  of   the  ordinances  of  sacrifice. 


28  PLEA    FOR    PSALMODY. 

tinguished  commentator  has  justly  remark- 
ed, "singing  is  as  much  the  language  of 
holy  joy,  as  praying  is  of  holy  desire."* 

The  Psalms  of  David,t  which  were  given 

Theirs  is  superseded  ;  but  his  remains,  and  will  to  the  end 
of  time,  when  it  shall  be  swallowed  up  in  the  songs  of 
eternity." 

*  Mr.  Matthew  Henry. 

t  These  Psalms  are  entitled  in  the  Hebrew,  CrVnn 
*13D  (Sepher  Tehillim,)  which  signifies  the  Book  of 
Hymns,  or  Praises  ;  the  praises  of  God  constituting  their 
chief  subject-matter:  and  as  they  were  set,  not  only  to  be 
sung  with  the  voice,  but  also  to  be  accompanied  with  mu- 
sical instruments,  the  Septuagint  version,  (so  called  be- 
cause it  is  said  to  have  been  translated  by  72  Jewish  Rab- 
bies  at  the  appointment  of  Ptolemy,  King  of  Egypt,)  the 
most  authentic  Greek  translation  of  the  Old  Testament,  de- 
signates them  BIBA02  YAAM.QN,  the  Book  of  Psalms, 
which  name  is  retained  in  our  English  Bibles. 

They  are  generally  termed  the  Psalms  of  David,  that 
Hebrew  monarch  being  their  chief  author.  Several  of  the 
ancient  fathers,  among  whom  are  Origen,  Chrysostom,  Au- 
gustine, Ambrose,  Euthymius,  and  others,  believe  that  he 
was  the  sole  author.  It  is  very  certain  that  he  was  the 
author  of  most  of  them.  It  is  also  equally  certain  that 
these  Psalms,  though  composed  at  different  times,  and  on 


PLEA    FOR    PSALMODY.  29 

by  divine  inspiration  evidently  for  the  use 
of  the  Church,  that  she  might  be  at  no  loss 
ever  as  to  the  subject-matter  of  praise  in 
this  ordinance;  and  which,  together  with 
the  regular  and  noble  form  which  he  gave 
to  the  musical  part  of  the  Jewish  service, 
obtained  for  him  the  name  of  "  the  sweet 
Psalmist  of  Israel,"*  have  been  the  ma- 
nual of  the  Church  in  her  praises  from  age 
to  age.  In  this  inspired  "  epitome  of  the 
Bible,"  we  not  only  find  the  whole  congre- 
gation, and   all  people   exhorted    to   sing 

various  occasions,  and  put  together  apparently  without  any 
reference  to,  or  dependence  on  one  another,  in  readiness 
for  the  service  of  the  Church,  are  a  part  of  "  the  oracles 
of  God,"  and  given  by  inspiration  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
Nearly  fifty  of  the  Psalms  are  quoted,  or  referred  to,  in  the 
New  Testament.  Our  Lord  himself  introduces  a  passage 
from  the  Psalms,  saying,  "David  himself  said  by  the  Holy 
Ghost."  St.  Paul,  quoting  from  them,  says,  "  Wherefore, 
as  the  Holy  Ghost  saith,  To-day,  if  ye  will  hear  his  voice." 
*  2  Samue!  xxiii.  1. 

b2 


30  PLEA    FOR    PSALMODY. 

praises  to  God,  u  Sing  unto  the  Lord,  O  ye 
saints  of  his,  and  give  thanks  at  the  re- 
membrance of  his  holiness  :"*  u  Sing  aloud 
unto  God  our  strength;  make  a  joyful  noise 
unto  the  God  of  Jacob:"  but  it  is  added, 
"  For  this  was  a  statute  for  Israel,  and 
a  law  of  the  God  of  Jacob."!  Some- 
times the  whole  Church  are  represented  as 
calling  and  exciting  one  another  to  this 
duty;  as  in  the  anthem  at  the  commence- 
ment of  the  usual  morning  praise  of  the 
Church  in  the  sanctuary,  "  O  come,  let  us 
sing  unto  the  Lord ;  let  us  make  a  joyful 
noise  to  the  Rock  of  our  salvation.  Let 
us  come  before  his  presence  with  thanks- 
giving, and  make  a  joyful  noise  unto  him 
with  Psalms:  for  the  Lord  is  a  great  God, 
and  a  great  King  above  all  gods  ;"J  and 
again,  in  a  subsequent  part  of  the  morning 

*  Psalm  xxx.  4.    t  Psalm  lxxxi.  1,  4. 

t  Psalm  xcv.  1—3.  Venite  exultemus  Domino. 


PLEA    FOR    PSALMODY.  31 

praise,  "  Make  a  joyful  noise  unto  the 
Lord,  all  ye  lands;"  (showing  that  the 
duty  belonged  not  only  to  the  Jews,  but  to 
all  nations,)  "serve  the  Lord  with  glad- 
ness ;  come  before  his  presence  with  sing- 
ing."* In  another  place  it  is  more  than  in- 
timated that  ceremonial  offerings  under 
the  law,  were  not  so  important  a  part  of 
public  worship  as  that  of  praise: — "1  will 
praise  the  name  of  God  with  a  song,  and 
will  magnify  him  with  thanksgiving.   This 

ALSO  SHALL  PLEASE  THE  LORD  BETTER  THAN 


*  Psalm  c  1,2.  Jubilate  Deo.~$Cr  In  this,  and  the  pre- 
vious quotation,  it  has  been  thought  proper,  for  the  sake  of 
uniformity,  to  have  reference  to  the  version  of  the  Psalms 
in  our  common  English  Bible,  as  made  by  the  translators  em- 
ployed by  king  James  the  1st.,  rather  than  to  that  in  the  book 
of  Common  Prayer,  which,  executed  in  1539,  is  more  an- 
cient; but,  "  being  very  excellent,  and  familiarized  by  cus- 
tom, is  retained  in  the  Liturgy." 

t  Psalms  lxix.  30,  31. 


32  PLEA     FOR    PSALMODY, 


CHAPTER  III. 

MUSIC  A  DIVINE    INSTITUTION,  CONTINUED  UNDER 
THE  NEW-TESTAMENT  DISPENSATION. 

"  The  singing  of  Psalms  as  an  act  of  religious  wor- 
ship, was  used  in  the  Church  of  Christ  before  the  giv- 
ing of  the  ceremonial  law,  and  therefore  is  no  part  of 
it,  nor  abolished  with  it." — Matthew  Henry, 

If  we  appeal  to  the  New  Testament,  we 
shall  find  that  the  continuance  of  this 
branch  of  divine  worship  enjoined  and 
practised  under  the  Old-Testament  dispen- 
sations, is  confirmed  by  the  example  of  our 
Lord  and  his  disciples,  as  also  particularly 
by  the  instructions  of  St.  Paul. 

Not  to  refer  particularly  to  the  songs  of 
Mary,  and  Zacharias,  and  Simeon,  to  show 
that  the  practice  of  divine  psalmody  was, 


PLEA    FOR    PSALMODY.  33 

continued  in  the  New-Testament  Church, 
we  find  our  Saviour,  at  the  close  of  the 
ordinance  of  the  holy  Supper,  at  the  time 
of  its  institution,  singing  an  hymn  with 
his  disciples.*  At  another  time,  we  find  a 
"  multitude  of  the  disciples"  of  our  Lord, 
rejoicing  and  praising  God  "with  a  loud 
voice,"  saying,  "  Blessed  be  the  King  that 
cometh  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  :  peace  in 
heaven,  and  glory  in  the  highest."  They 
were  not,  it  is  true,  in  the  temple — nor  in 
the  synagogue — nor  yet  indeed  in  that 
"upper-chamber"  where  the  sorrowing  dis- 
ciples afterwards  worshipped ;  they  were 

♦Matthew  xxvi.  30.  Mark  xiv.  26.  This  hymn  "  is  gene- 
rally supposed,  and  that  upon  good  grounds,"  to  have  been 
taken  from  the  Book  of  Psalms.  The  hymn  usually  sung 
by  the  Jews,  at  the  conclusion  of  the  Paschal  supper,  and 
to  which  custom  our  Lord  seems  to  have  respect  here,  was 
what  the  Jews  called  "  the  great  Hallel,"  consisting  of  the 
psalms  from  the  113th  to  the  118th  inclusive. — See  Biskop 
Home. 


34  PLEA     FOR     PSALMODY. 

"nigh  to  the  descent  of  the  Mount  of 
Olives,"  and  nature  was  their  temple:  it 
was  a  solemn  act  of  religious  worship  how- 
ever, and  an  offering  approved  hy  our  Sa- 
viour, as  appears  by  his  reply  to  the  offend- 
ed Pharisees.*  "Paul  and  Silas  prayed 
and  sang  praises  unto  God,"  when,  "  at 
midnight,"  God  appeared  in  so  wonderful 
a  manner  for  their  deliverance.f 

In  writing  to  the  Church  at  Corinth,  the 
Apostle  Paul  recognises  this  duty  as  of  di- 
vine authority,  reproving  the  Corinthians 
for  a  disorderly  mode  of  worshipping,  in 
that  "every  one"  of  them  had  "  a  psalm 
— a  doctrine — a  tongue — a  revelation — an 
interpretation."  each  worshipping  in  his 
own  way.  J     They   could   not,   after  this 

*  Luke  xix.  38,  40.  t  Acts  xvi.  25. 

X  Perhaps  the  whole  assembly  were  wont  to   worship  in 
various  ways  at  the  same  time.     1  Corinthians  xiv.  IB, 26. 


PLEA     FOR     PSALMODY,  3d 

manner,  worship  with  the  understanding, 
if  they  might  with  the  spirit;  and  such 
confusion  and  disorder  were,  surely,  of  a 
tendency  to  prevent  edification  and  spiri- 
tual worship.  The  Apostle,  therefore, 
would  have  them  so  regulate  their  worship 
that  it  might  be  both  acceptable  to  God, 
who,  he  declares,  "is  not  the  author  of 
confusion,  but  of  peace,  as  in  all  Churches 
of  the  saints,"  and  profitable  for  them- 
selves. He  neither  discourages  them  in 
the  proper  performance  of  the  duty,  nor 
does  he  withhold  the  benefit  of  either  pre- 
cept or  example.  "I  will  sing  with  the 
Spirit,"  he  says;  " and  I  will  sing  with 

THE  UNDERSTANDING  ALSO." 

This  duty  the  Apostle  Paul  also  enjoins 
in  writing  to  the  Church  at  Colosse :  "  Let 
the  word  of  Christ  dwell  in  you  richly  in 
all  wisdom ;  teaching  and  admonishing  one 
another  in  psalms  and  hymns,  and  spi« 


36  PLEA     FOR     PSALMODY. 

ritual  songs;  singing  with  grace  in  your 
hearts  to  the  Lord."*  And,  again,  in  writ- 
ing "to  the  saints  at  Ephesus,  and  to  the 
faithful  in  Christ  Jesus,"  he  exhorts  and 
commands,  "Be  filled  with  the  Spirit: 
speaking  to  yourselves  in  psalms  and 
hymns  and  spiritual  songs — Singing  and 
making  melody  in  your  heart  to  the 
Lord  ;"t  showing  not  only  that  this  is  a 
gospel-ordinance,  but  that  it  is  not  neces- 
sarily confined  to  praise  alone,  having  also 
something  in  common  with  prayer  and  re- 
ligious instruction  and  admonition.  And 
that  this  ordinance  is  to  be  used  for  these 
purposes  as  well  as  for  praise,  appears 
from  the  subject-matter  of  many  of  the 
psalms  of  David,  some  of  which  are  prayers 
with  confession  and  thanksgivings,  while 
others  are  exhortatory,  or  admonitory,  as 

•  Colossians  in.  16.  t  Ephesiana  v.  18, 19. 


PLEA     FOR     PSALMODY.  37 

well  as  declaratory  of  God's  greatness  and 
goodness  and  mercy.* 

It  would  be  easy  here  also  to  show  how 
the  practice  of  sacred  psalmody  has  sub- 

*  '  Psalms'  is  a  general  term,  which  may  mean  "  all  me- 
trical composures  fitted  to  be  sung,  which  may  as  well  be 
historical,  doctrinal,  or  supplicatory,  as  laudatory.  Though 
singing  be  properly  the  voice  of  joy,  yet  the  intention  of 
the  songs  is  of  much  greater  latitude,  to  assist  the  memory 
and  both  to  express  and  to  excite  all  the  other  affections,  as 
well  ns  that  of  joy." 

"  It  cannot  be  denied  that  the  Psalms  of  David  are  called 
indifferently  by  the  three  names,  psalms,  hymns  and  songs." 
— Ridgley's  Body  of  Divinity. 

Says  Hooker,  "  It  was  for  the  raising  up  of  men's  hearts 
and  the  sweetening  of  their  affections  towards  God,  that 
the  prophet  David  having  had  singular  knowledge,  not  in 
poetry  alone,  but  in  music  also,  judged  them  both  to  be 
things  most  necessary  for  the  house  of  God,  and  left  be- 
hind him  to  that  purpose  a  number  of  divinely  indited 
poems  ;  and  was  further  the  author  of  adding  unto  poetry, 
melody  in  public  prayer,  in  which  consideration  the 
Church  of  Christ  doth  likewise  at  the  present  day  retain  it 
as  an  ornament  to  God's  service,  and  an  help  to  our  devo- 
tion."— Eccl.  Polity. 


38  PLEA     FOR     PSALMODY. 

sisted  through  every  succeeding  age,  from 
primitive  times,  to  our  own,  "  not  more  to 
the  delight  than  to  the  edification  of  the 
Church  of  Christ.  In  this  respect,  there 
ever  has  existed,  and  there  still  exists,  a 
wonderful  communion  of  saints."  But 
more  on  this  subject  is  unnecessary.  From 
what  we  have  seen,  whether  under  the 
Old  Testament  dispensation,  or  under  the 
New,  it  naturally  and  rightly  follows  that 
we  ought  to  regard  sacred  music  in  the 
public  worship  of  God,  as  an  ordinance  of 
divine  appointment,  in  which  the  Church 
should  ever  seek  to  glorify  God,  and  "  set 
forth  his  most  worthy  praise." 


PLEA     FOR     PSALMODY.  39 


PART    III. 


THE  MANNER  IN  WHICH    THE  DUTY  OF  SING- 
ING god's  PRAISE  SHOULD  BE  PERFORMED. 


CHAPTER  I. 

THERE  MUST  BE  MUSIC  IX  OUR  SONG, 

"  Constituted  as  man  is,  there  is  no  vehicle  like 
sound  for  lifting  the  soul  upward  to  the  eternal  source 
of  glory  and  harmony ;  and  viewing  ourselves  as 
bound  to  praise  God  with  such  powers  as  he  has 
given  us,  we  are  equally  bound  to  give  him  our  best 
and  most  appropriate  service.*' — The  ^Missionary. 

God  has  bestowed  on  our  race,  in  addition 
to  the  faculty  of  speech,  the  gift  of  music, 
as  a  medium  of  communion  with  each  other 


40  pl[ea   for   psalmody. 

and  with  himself;  and  has  appointed  it  as 
a  means  of  the  suhlimest  exercises  of  de- 
votion, as  if  with  special  intent  that  "  the 
praises  of  his  Church  on  earth  may  ap- 
proximate as  near  as  possible  to  the  spiri- 
tual and  refined  worship"  of  the  Church 
in  heaven.  Through  the  influence  of  mu- 
sic, the  very  senses  become,  as  it  were, 
hand-maidens  of  devotion.  By  the  har- 
monious combination  of  a  few  notes,  with 
their  various  modulations,  the  mind,  through 
the  organs  of  hearing,  and  the  sympathy 
of  the  nervous  system,  not  only  receives 
peculiar  pleasure — sometimes  exquisitely 
refined  sensations  of  delight — but  exciting 
the  affections  to  the  sublimest  exercises  of 
devotion  and  praise,  we  are  prepared  for 
more  lively  and  extatic  enjoyment  of  di- 
vine communion,  and  are  thus  assisted  in 
near  approaches  to  the  throne  of  grace: 

"  On  eagle-pinions  borne, 
We  scale  the  mount  of  God." 


PLEA     FOR    PSALMODY.  41 

Music,  it  has  been  well  said,  "is  a  re- 
fined species  of  elocution;  and,  as  such, 
its  office  is  to  enforce  upon  the  heart  the 
sentiment  which  is  sung. 

"Who  has  not  felt  the  words  of  Divine 
truth  sink  deep  into  his  heart,  when  they 
have  been  accompanied  with  the  thrilling 
and  irresistible  tones  of  an  earnest  and 
commanding  elocution  ?  Music  has  a  si- 
milar power ;  it  can  move  or  melt  an 
audience,  and  ought  therefore  to  be 
made  a  powerful  auxiliary  to  the  faithful 
preacher."* 

"  Music  speaks  the  heart's  emotion, 
Music  tells  the  soul's  devotion  ; 
Music  heavenly  harps  employs; 
Music  wakens  heavenly  joys." 

*  Lowell   Mason-,   Esq.,  of  Boston,  President  of  the 
Handel  and  Hayden  Society,  and  the  compiler  of  their  se- 
lections, who  has  devoted  a  large  portion  of  his  time  to 
the  improvement  of  Church  music,  and  is  better  acquaint- 
c2 


42  PLEA    FOR    PSALMODY. 

In  order  that  it  may  accomplish  its  end, 
sacred  music  must  be  properly  conducted, 
that  we  may  rightly  direct,  or  join  with 
propriety,  in  this  part  of  worship,  all  things 
in  the  services  of  God's  house  being  done 
decently  and  in  order,  reason  and  common 
sense,  as  well  as  the  spirit  of  holy  Scrip- 

ed  with  the  subject  probably  than  (we  may  almost  venture 
to  say,)  any  other  person  in  the  country.  We  are  not  un- 
mindful, however,  of  the  great  service  rendered  to  the  de- 
partment of  sacred  music  by  a  Hastings,  a  Wainwright, 
and  others. 

Mr.  Mason  further  remarks,  "  It  must  do  this,"  (that  is, 
singing  must  enforce  upon  the  heart  the  sentiment  which 
is  sung,)  "  more  effectively  than  the  simple  reading  of  the 
same  words  can  do,  otherwise  it  is  useless ;  and  better  that 
music  should  not  be  introduced  at  all  into  public  worship, 
if  it  fail  to  accomplish  this  end.  Indeed,  its  influence  in 
the  Church  cannot  be  of  a  more  negative  character;  and 
musical  taste  is  much  more  intimately  connected  with  re- 
ligious feeling  than  is  generally  supposed.  It  cherishes  on 
the  one  hand,  or  destroys  on  the  other,  those  pious  emo- 
tions which  public  and  social  worship  is  designed  to  call 
into  exercise. 


PLEA     FOR     PSALMODY.  43 

ture  and  the  genius  of  our  holy  religion, 
suggest  the  importance  of  some  acquaint- 
ance with  the  theory  and  practice  of  the 
musical  art.  We  may  consider  it  as  a  first 
principle,  therefore,  that  in  engaging  in 
this  part  of  the  public  worship  of  God, 
we  should  so  sing  as  to  make  melody  to 

THE  EAR. 

The  effect  of  discordant  and  unharmo- 
nious  sounds,  is  sensation  of  uneasiness  and 
distress,  tending  to  prevent,  if  not  utterly 
extinguish,  rather  than  aid,  a  spirit  of  de- 
votion. Such  penance  we  have  no  right 
to  inflict  on  those  who  worship  with  us. 
Jarring  discord  neither  becomes  the  holy 
nature  of  our  worship,  nor  can  it  fail  to 
disturb  the  devotion  of  others  whilst  we 
derive  no  benefit  from  it  ourselves.  It  is 
a  painful  concession,  but  perhaps  as  just 
at  the  present  day,  as  at  the  time  when 


44  PLEA     FOR    PSALMODY. 

Dr.  Watts  first  uttered  it,  that  "  Of  all 
our  religious  solemnities,  psalmody  is  the 
most  unhappily  managed.  The  very  ac- 
tion which  should  elevate  us  to  the  most 
divine  and  delightful  sensations,  doth  not 
only  flatten  our  devotions,  but  too  often 
touches  all  the  springs  of  uneasiness  within 
us."* 

Keeping  in  view,  therefore,  the  end  of 
music  in  social  worship — the  elevation  of 
the  feelings  and  increase  of  a  spirit  of  true 
devotion,  music  must  be  cultivated.  As  it 
is  proper  and  necessary  that  the  minister  of 

*  "  Often  and  often  have  we  had  occasion  to  regret  our 
unfortunate  sensibility  of  ear,  (though  by  no  means  exces- 
sive or  fastidious,)  when  chained  by  propriety  to  our  seat 
in  the  house  of  prayer,  during  the  vociferations  of  a 
graceless  band.  Often  has  the  (indignant)  exclamaiion  of 
good  old  John  Ryland,  of  Northampton,  on  one  occasion' 
occurred  to  us,  ■  Do  ye  call  that  singing  ?  if  the  nngels  in 
heaven  were  to  hear  ye,  they  would  come  down  and 
wring  your  necks  off.'  "—Eclectic  Review. 


PLEA    FOR     PSALMODY.  45 

the  gospel  should  cultivate  the  art  of  elo- 
cution, that  in  public  speaking  he  may  be 
the  better  qualified  to  enforce  the  truth 
and  move  the  heart;  so  should  they  who 
sing  the  praises  of  God  attend  to  the  im- 
provement of  themselves  in  the  depart- 
ment of  sacred  music,  if  they  would  either 
awaken  devotional  feelings  in  themselves, 
or  aid  in  the  devotions  of  God's  people- 
Music  should  be  cultivated  for  the  pur- 
pose of  religious  worship,  and  from  a 
sense  of  religious  duty. 


40  PLEA     FOR     PSALMODY. 


CHAPTER    II. 

THE   VOICE  MUST   BE   CULTIVATED. 

"  It  is  one  thing  to  give  an  impulse  to  breath  alone ; 
another  thing  to  vocalize  that  breath." — Holder. 

That  much  depends  on  the  natural  voice 
is  true.  A  good  voice,  however,  and  skill 
in  its  management,  is  not  altogether  a  na- 
tural gift.  It  is  said  by  those  who  are 
skilled  in  the  science  of  music,  that  whilst 
"  the  organs  of  some  are  undoubtedly 
much  more  favourably  constructed  for  the 
production  of  agreeable  tones,  than  those 
of  others;  the  very  best  natural  voice 
''needs  to  be,  and  may  be  greatly  improv- 
ed by  cultivation  ;"  and  that  "  there  are 
few  voices  naturally  so  bad  as  not  to  be 


PLEA     FOR     PSALMODY.  47 

rendered,  at  least,  tolerable,  by  a  proper 
attention  to  them."  We  will  not  say  with 
nature's  great  poet,  that 

"The  man  that  hath  no  music  in  himself, 

Or  is  not  moved  with  concord  of  sweet  sounds, 

Is  (it  for  treason  ;" 

but  we  can  hardly  doubt  that  all  persons 
endowed  with  the  gift  of  speech,  may  so 
qualify  themselves  as  to  engage  in  this 
holy  duty  with  satisfaction  and  benefit; 
whilst  many  who  are  now  totally  negligent 
of  the  duty,  might  not  only  find  great  be- 
nefit and  comfort  in  its  performance,  but 
might  also  greatly  encourage  others  and 
assist  in  this  delightful  part  of  worship. 

The  reason  why  all  are  not  singers,  is 
doubtless  found  either  in  the  fact  that  the 
proper  opportunity  of  learning  has  not 
been  enjoyed;  or  in  this,  that  the  duty 
was  neglected  in  the  morning  of  life.  Often, 


48  PLEA     FOR     PSALMODY. 

those  who  attempt  to  sing,  and  do  not  at 
once  manifest  a  musical  voice,  are  dis- 
couraged by  the  officious  ignorance  of  those 
that  assure  them  that  they  cannot  learn. 
They  cannot  at  once  modulate  the  voice  so 
as  to  strike  with  precision  every  note  in 
the  octave,  and  therefore  it  is  taken  for 
granted  that  they  are  incapacitated  by 
nature  for  praising  God  in  sacred  psalmody, 
at  least  upon  earth  ;  and  the  sage  decision 
is  taken  for  truth,  and  no  further  attempt 
is  made.  This  is  a  very  common  error, 
and  a  lamentable  evil.  Where  the  vocal 
organs  exist  in  perfection,  evidenced  by 
proper  compass,  variety,  and  inflection  of 
voice  in  speaking,  there  is  no  physical  ina- 
bility to  learn  to  sing.  Instruction  and 
practice  only  are  necessary  to  enable  the 
individual  to  assume  his  proper  rank  among 
those  who  enjoy  the  high  honour  of  wor- 
shipping the  Most  High  in  holy  song. 


PLEA     FOR     PSALMODY 


4flf 


The  leader  in  these  devotions,  it  is  con- 
ceded, needs  peculiar  and  pre-eminent  qua- 
lifications; and  so  the  several  members  of 
the  choir  as  assistant  leaders,  need  to  be 
well  prepared  for  their  place:  but  it 
should  also  be  borne  in  mind  that  since  all 
are  endowed  with  the  organs  requisite,  it 
is  the  duty  of  all  to  s'ing  the  Lord's  praise; 
and  that  since  we  cannot  fulfil  this  duty 
by  delegating  it  to  others,  every  individual 
ought  to  be  so  far  prepared  for  this  part 
of  devotional  service,  that  entering  into  the 
spirit  of  it,  he  may  enjoy  the  privilege, 
and  as  occasion  permits,  follow  those  whose 
province  it  is  to  lead,  joining  in  the  praises 
of  a  whole  people  with  decency  and  pro- 
priety. 


50  PLEA    FOR    PSALMODY. 


CHAPTER   IH. 

THE  EAB  MUST  BE  IMPBOYED. 

"  As  it  is  with  the  voice,  so  it  is  with  the  ear  :  its 
very  best  natural  condition  is  imperfect,  and  needs  cul- 
tivation."— Mason. 

What  is  ordinarily  called  a  correct  musi- 
cal ear,  and  on  which  correct  intonation, 
or  an  ability  to  sing  in  tune,*  is  princi- 
pally dependant,  is  no  more,  in  all  cases,  a 
natural  gift,  than  is  a  good  voice.  It  has 
been  well  remarked,  "the  most  which  na- 

*  "  By  intonation  is  meant  the  faculty  of  forming  the  voice 
to  the  notes  of  the  scale  with  clearness  and  precision. — 
When  a  person's  intonation  is  correct,  he  is  said  to  sing  in 
tune ;  when  false  that  is,  too  sharp  or  too  flat,  he  is  said  to 
sing  out  of  tune  " — Turner. 


PLEA    FOR     PSALMODY.  51 

ture  ordinarily  does,  is  to  give  the  capacity 
to  learn."  Indeed,  both  the  ear  and  voice 
are  always  in  a  measure  imperfect,  need- 
ing cultivation,  in  some  instances  in  a 
greater,  and  in  some  a  lesser  degree.  A 
correct  ear,  and  a  competent  voice,  are 
acquired  by  practice.*  By  application  and 
perseverance,  many  who,  at  first,  were 
scarcely  able  to  appreciate  musical  sounds, 

*"  The  truth  of  the  above  position  stands  upon  the  clear 
evidence  of  facts.  Experiments  have  generally  been  per- 
fectly conclusive  and  satisfactory.  Among  the  Germans 
and  Moravians,  all  without  exception  are  taught  to  sing  ; 
the  same  is  true  of  the  Indians  of  every  tribe,  and  the  peo- 
ple of  eolour  every  where  ;  and  of  the  children  of  our  in- 
fant schools.  Having  visited  many  infant  schools  in  differ- 
ent parts  of  the  country,  we  have  never  yet  found  a  child 
who  was  unable  to  sing  after  he  had  been  in  the  school  a 
proper  length  of  time.  We  would  say,  then,  let  every 
person,  young  and  old,  be  encouraged  to  learn  to  sing  ;  his 
duty  will  soon  become  his  delight,  and  the  languid  lire  of 
devotion  will  be  lighted  up  to  a  flame  by  the  music  of  the 
skies." — Christian  Spectator. 


52  PLEA    F  OR    PSALMODY. 

or  to  sing  with  accuracy  even  the  natural 
scale  of  music  by  the  aid  of  an  instructor, 
have  at  length  arrived  at  very  commend- 
able perfection  in  the  science  and  its  per- 
formance. It  would  be  very  difficult  to 
find  a  person  in  the  possession  of  the  na- 
tural senses,  who  has  not  a  general  fond- 
ness for  musical  sounds :  all  who  have  this 
fondness — all  who  are  capable  of  receiv- 
ing pleasure  from  musical  combinations? 
may,  doubtless,  improve  the  talent  that  is 
in  them,  and  learn  to  worship  God  in  songs 
of  praise.* 

*  Sacred  music  ought  to  be  considered  a  part  of  the  re- 
ligious education  of  Children.  It  has  been  well  said  by 
a  master  of  the  musical  art,  that  "  if  no  more  attention 
were  bestowed  upon  the  art  of  reading,  than  upon  the 
art  of  music,  good  readers  would  be  as  scarce  as  good 
singers."  Even  where  attention  is  paid  to  music,  it  is  in 
almost  all  cases  to  secular  music  exclusively  ;  the  "  parlour 
must  be  furnished  with  a  piano,  and  the  family  must  have 
the  services  of  a  teacher — the  sonata,  the  song,  the  march, 


PLEA    FOR    PSALMODY.  53 

the  waltz,  must  be  made  familiar,  even  in  Christian  fa- 
milies •  but  the  music  of  the  Church  is  left  to  take  care 
of  itself,  or  committed  to  unskilful  hands." — See  Mason's 
Address. 


D2 


54  PLEA    TOR     PSALMODY. 


CHAPTER   IV. 

3CHE  SINGING  SHOULD    BE  COXGHEGATION  AL, 

"  From  the  first  and  apostolic  age,  singing  was  al- 
ways a  part  of  divine  service,  in  which  the  whole  body 
of  the  Church  joined  together." — Bingham. 

The  singing  of  the  primitive  Church  was 
evidently  Congregational.  Unlike  that 
of  the  theatre,  which  is  merely  an  exhibi- 
tion, or  thrown  in  to  give  variety  to  the 
performances  and  relieve  the  mind  from 
too  constant  attention  to  the  subject — the 
music  of  the  Church,  instead  of  being  de- 
signed as  an  interlude  to  religious  worship 
—a  recreation  from  the  tediousness  of  an 
hour's  devotion,  was  a  solemn  act  of  public 
praise  offered  by  the  congregation  assem- 


PLEA    FOR    PSALMODY.  00 

bled.  Sometimes,  it  is  said,  indeed,  that 
" a  single  performer  sung  in  solo"  whilst 
at  other  times,  "  the  whole  congregation 
united  in  full  chorus;"  and  that  "some- 
times the  congregation  were  divided  into 
separate  choirs,  singing  in  alternate  succes- 
sion, whilst  at  other  times,  a  single  person 
commencing  the  verse  in  solo,  the  full 
choir  closed  in  chorus."  But,  notwithstand- 
ing these  variations,  the  primitive  singing, 
as  we  have  said,  was  by  the  whole  con- 
gregation. And  so  it  should  be  now.— 
There  should,  indeed,  be  a  choir  well  in- 
structed in  the  musical  art,  and  of  supe- 
rior qualifications  for  leading  in  religious 
praise,  in  every  congregation;  and  this 
clioir  should  be  directed  by  a  competent 
leader:  and  unless  the  music  be  led  by 
such  a  choir,  and  the  direction  of  the  per- 
formance be  submitted  to  such  a  leader, 
the  best  effects  of  music  cannot  be  pro- 


56  PLEA     FOR     PSALMODY. 

duced :  but  the  whole  congregation  should 
join.  And  all  should  be  prepared  to  join 
not  only  without  offence,  but  with  good 
effect,  if  possible — assisting  in  the  devotions 
of  others,  and  enkindling  in  devotion  their 
own  souls. 

This,  a  congregation  surely  may  do, 
without  either  greatly  increasing  the  quan- 
tity of  sound,  or  preventing  the  appro- 
priate direction  of  the  music  by  the  choir. 
Great  loudness  of  voice  cannot  be  consi- 
dered indispensable  either  to  true  devotion, 
or  to  good  music*     Indeed,  there  will  be 

*  "  Loudness,  produced  by  an  overstrained  exertion  of  the 
organs  of  the  voice,  is  noise,  not  music.  The  overstraining 
of  the  voice,  or  even  keeping  it  up  constantly  to  its  full 
stretch,  is  a  decided  mark  of  ignorance  and  vulgarity. — 
Loudness  requires  mere  physical  or  brute  power,  but 
sweetness  and  mellowness,  combined  with  as  much  power 
as  nature  will  admit  of,  require  taste  and  discernment, 
and  can  only  be  acquired  by  a  close  attention  to  the  rule* 
of  art." — Turner's  Vocal  Guidt 


PLEA     FOR     PSALMODY.  57 

very  many  instances  in  a  congregation, 
where,  in  the  present  state  of  musical  im- 
provement, caution  must  be  used  by  indi- 
viduals lest  their  voice  be  conspicuous,  and 
where  it  is  greatly  proper  and  expedient 
that  it  be  scarcely  audible;  and,  in  all 
cases,  the  congregation  should  observe  that 
softness  which  a  proper  regard  to  the  edifi- 
cation and  comfort  of  each  other  demands. 
Nothing  can  be  more  improper,  or  ruinous 
to  good  music,  than  the  falling  upon  the 
parts,  by  individuals  promiscuously,  with 
undue  elevation  of  voice,  in  different  parts 
of  the  congregation.  Even  among  the 
choir,  there  should  be  no  emulation  of 
loudness  of  voice,  although  the  music  of 
the  choir  should  predominate  and  lead  the 
devotions  of  all. 

There  are  almost  always  in  a  choir  some 
individuals  who,   conscious  of  their  supe- 


58  PLEA     FOR     PSALMODY. 

rior  qualifications,  or  urged  by  a  mistaken 
estimate  of  their  abilities,  offend  against 
good  taste  by  an  undue  elevation  of  the 
voice.  "  Persons  who  sing  together,  in 
parts,  should  take  special  care  that  their 
voices  be  so  balanced  and  adjusted,  that  no 
one  voice  obtrude  itself  above  its  fellows ; 
but  that  the  whole  be  so  blended  and  com- 
bined, like  the  tone  of  a  full  organ,  as  to 
produce  one  rich  harmonious  sound."  It 
has  been  suggested  by  a  Professor  of  the 
art,  that  "if  every  performer  would  make 
a  point  of  listening  to  the  voices  of  his 
neighbours  as  well  as  to  his  own, — it  would 
materially  assist  in  the  attainment  of  this 
important  object." 

The  importance  of  this  last  suggestion — 
that  of  harmony  in  congregational  sing- 
ing— is  a  subject  which  cannot  be  too  deeply 
impressed  upon  the  mind  of  the  perform- 


PLEA   FOR    PSALMODY.  59 

er.  As  melody  consists  in  a  succession  of 
single  musical  sounds,  so  harmony  is  a  com- 
bination of  those  sounds  according  to  the 
rules  of  composition.  What  may  be  me- 
lody in  a  single  voice  alone,  may  be  most 
unharmonious  where  several  voices  are 
united.  In  congregational  singing,  musi- 
cal concord  is  indispensable.  The  harmo- 
ny should  be  perfect;  like 

" sound 
Symphonious,  of  ten  thousand  harps  that  tune 
Angelic  harmonies." 


60  PLEA     FOR    PSALMODY. 


CHAPTER   V. 


THE    SEXTIMEJJT. 


"  How  many  tears  have  I  shed  when  I  heard  hymns 
and  canticles  sung  in  the  Church  to  thy  praise,  0  my 
God  !  While  the  sound  thereof  struck  my  ears,  thy 
truth  entered  my  heart,  it  drew  tears  from  my  eyes, 
and  made  me  find  comfort  and  delight  in  those  very 
tears." — St.  Augustine. 

It  need  hardly  be  remarked  here,  that  the 
subject  matter,  or  sentiment  of  our  music, 
should  be  appropriate  to  the  solemn  duty 
and  occasion  and  place.  As  suited  to  this 
duty,  the  Psalms  of  David  and  other  ap- 
propriate portions  of  the  Holy  Scriptures, 
should  have  precedence.  Besides  their 
incomparable  fitness  to  express  proper 
thoughts,  feelings  and  desires,  the  fact  that 


PLEA     FOR     PSALMODY.  61 

they  were  indited  under  the  special  di- 
rection of  infinite  wisdom  and  holiness,  and 
have  been  employed  in  the  Church  in 
every  age,  should  greatly  influence  our 
choice. 

"Me thinks  it  is  a  great  comfort  to  us," 
says  the  excellent  Matthew  Henry,  "  when 
we  are  singing  David's  psalms,  that  we  are 
offering  the  same  praises  to  God,  that 
were  offered  him  in  the  days  of  David  and 
the  other  godly  kings  of  Judah.  So  rich, 
so  well  made  are  these  divine  poems,  that 
they  can  never  be  exhausted,  never  worn 
threadbare."  And  says  the  learned  Bishop 
Home,  "In  the  language  of  this  divine 
book,  the  prayers  and  praises  of  the 
Church  have  been  offered  up  to  the  throne 
of  grace,  from  age  to  age."*     Thus  "  one 

*Our  Saviour  pronounced,  on  the  cross,  the  beginning  of 
lh«  22d  Psalm,  "  My  God,  my  God,  why  halt  thou  fonak- 
E 


62  FLEA     FOR    PSALM  OH  Y. 

generation"  has  praised  the  "  works''  of 
God  "  to  another,"  and  declared  his  " mighty- 
acts,"* 

A  practice  has  in  some  instances  prevail- 
ed of  incorporating  with  the  solemn  worship 
of  God,  in  the  place  of  praise  to  God, 
hymns  or  songs  in  which  there  is  scarcely 
any  reference  to  Deity  whatever,  and 
which,  if  they  do  not  directly  inculcate 
error,  are  destitute  of  evangelical  sen- 
timent; and  in  some  instances,  these  are 
a  mere  medley  of  fulsome  praise  ad- 
en  me  ?"  and  expired  with  a  part  of  the  31st  Psalm  in  his 
mouth — "  Into  thy  hands  I  commend  my  spirit."  Thus  he, 
who  had  not  the  Spirit  by  measure,  in  whom  were  hid  all 
the  treasures  of  wisdom  and  knowledge,  and  who  spake 
as  never  man  spake,  yet  chose  to  conclude  his  life,  to  so- 
lace himself  in  his  greatest  agony,  and  at  last  to  breathe 
out  his  soul,  in  the  psalmist's  form  of  words,  rather  than 
his  own.  No  tongue  of  man  or  angel,  as  Dr.  Hammond 
justly  observes,  can  convey  a  higher  idea  of  any  book>  and 
of  their  felicity  who  use  it  aright." — Bp.  Home. 

*  Psalm  cxlv.  4. 


PLEA    FOR    PSALMODY.  63 

dressed  to  man.  However  proper  it  may 
be  to  celebrate  the  virtues  or  heroic 
deeds  of  distinguished  men,  it  cannot  be 
proper,  we  think,  to  substitute  the  praise 
of  mortals  for  the  praise  that  is  due  to 
God,  in  his  sanctuary ;  nor  can  compo- 
sitions which  have  nothing  in  them  of  the 
life  and  soul  of  the  gospel,  but  are  desti- 
tute of  any  sympathy  either  with  the  doc- 
trines, duties,  or  graces  of  Christianity  as 
if  designed  for  the  special  accommodation 
of  the  skeptic,  be  considered  the  most  suit- 
able for  the  use  of  a  congregation  of  Chris- 
tian worshippers. 

There  are  other  weighty  objections, 
however,  which  ought  to  be  considered  in 
reference  to  matter  sometimes  employed 
in  sacred  psalmody ;  and  these  lie  against 
the  poetry.  Whilst  it  is  true  that  poetry 
alone  will  not,  of  course,  constitute  good 
and  suitable  hymns  for  the  use  of  worship- 


64  PLEA   FOR   PSALMODY. 

ping  assemblies,  it  is  equally  true  that 
hymns  are  not  adapted  to  the  end  of  pub- 
lic psalmody  unless  they  are  capable  of 
being  combined  with  musical  expression. 
Lyric  poetry — or  poetry  which  is  to  be 
sung,  should  be  the  simple  language  of  the 
heart;  and  especially  if  designed  for  the 
sanctuary,  should  be  dignified  both  by  the 
sentiment  and  symbols  employed,  and  every 
way  calculated  to  elevate  and  purify  the 
feelings;  while  at  the  same  time  it  is  suited 
by  the  aid  of  music  to  awaken,  and  ex- 
press, and  quicken  to  a  holy  ardour  the 
emotions  of  the  soul.  For  this  purpose, 
its  structure  must  be  such  as  to  render  its 
adaptation  to  musical  movement  easy,  na- 
tural and  impressive.  Some  of  the  lyric 
poetry,  so  called,  of  the  present  day,  is  of 
such  rhythm  as  to  set  all  attempts  at  mu- 
sical accentuation  and  expression  at  de- 
fiance; whilst  much  is  either  so  argumen- 


PLEA    FOR    PSALMODY.  65 

tative,  didactic,  or  hortatory,  that  it  cannot 
answer  the  purpose  for  which  it  was  in- 
tended. With  "  the  lyric  garb,"  it  is  des- 
titute of  "  the  lyric  character  and  spirit."* 
In  the  use  of  such  matter,  either  the  har- 
mony or  the  sense  must  ordinarily  be  sa- 
crificed— often,  nay,  generally,  both  are 
necessarily  destroyed  in  the  performance. 

In  a  poem,  designed  only  to  be  read,  an 

* "  Music  addresses  itself  wholly  to  the  feelings  ;  but 
many  of  the  hymns  in  common  use  are  addressed  almost 
exclusively  to  the  understanding,  and  are  argumentative,  or 
didactic,  or  narrative  in  their  character.  Such  hymns, 
perhaps,  are  not  as  unfit  for  musical  expression  as  a  de- 
monstration of  Euclid,  or  Edwards  on  the  Freedom  of  the 
Will,  or  Hume's  History  of  England,  but  it  is  not  unfre- 
quently  the  case  that  by  an  injudicious  selection  of  this 
kind,  the  good  effect  of  singing  is  wholly  lost.  Probably 
one  third  or  even  more  of  the  hymns  in  common  use  are 
unfit  for  musical  purposes  j  and  perhaps  in  no  other  way 
can  ministers  of  the  gospel  do  more  to  advance  the  cause 
of  Church  music,  than  by  an  attention  to  this  subject."— 
L.  Mnson. 

e2 


66  PLEA    FOR    PSALMODY. 

irregular  accent,  parentheses,  complicated 
expressions,  forced  inversions  of  thought, 
and  the  like,  may  be  unobjectionable,  since 
a  varied  intonation  may  render  all  per- 
fectly intelligible ;  but  not  so  in  a  hymn  to 
be  sung :  the  language  must  be  direct  and 
simple — the  sentiment  plain  to  be  perceiv- 
ed— and  the  construction  "  such  that  the 
important  words  and  accented  syllables 
may  fall  upon  the  accented  notes  of  the 
tune.  What  action  is  to  the  drama,  that, 
in  a  great  measure,  is  music  to  the  hymn 
or  song  ;  and  a  peculiar  adaptation  is  as  es^ 
sential  in  the  one  case  as  the  other."* 

The  sentiment  or  language  of  our  de» 
votional  songs,  is  an  object  of  great  im* 
portance  viewed  in  another  light.  Sacred 
psalmody,   whilst  it   elevates  the   soul  to 

*  See  Review  of  Church  Psalmody,  in  Christian  Spec 
talor,  1831. 


PLEA     FOR     PSALMODY.  G7 

God  and  is  to  the  pious  heart  a  source  of 
the  most  exalted  and  refined  pleasure,  is 
also  the  vehicle  of  much  instruction.  He 
who  said  that  he  could  rule  a  nation,  if  he 
might  direct  the  composition  of  its  popular 
ballads,  was  not  a  novice  in  the  knowledge 
of  human  nature.  The  sentiments  which 
we  are  accustomed  to  sing  with  pleasure, 
will  soon  become  our  own.  The  leaders 
and  abettors  of  divisions  and  schism  in  the 
Church,  have  understood  this,  and  acted 
upon  it — the  spread  of  new  doctrines  hav- 
ing been  generally  aided  by  the  introduc- 
tion of  a  new  collection  of  psalms  and 
hymns.  It  ought,  therefore,  to  be  a  mat- 
ter of  great  moment  to  adhere  as  nearly  as 
possible  to  "  the  good  old  ways"  of  Scrip- 
ture, and  not  to  encourage  frequent  changes 
in  the  language  of  our  praise.  If  we  have 
not  now  fallen  on  times  when  it  may  be 
said  to  those   of  the   same  congregation, 


68  PLEA    FOR    PSALMODY. 

"How  is  it,  then,  brethren?  when  ye 
come  together,  every  one  of  you  hath  a 
psalm,  hath  a  doctrine!"  it  may  be  said 
that  every  denomination  of  Christians  has 
its  favourite  selections,  and  that  different 
selections  often  divide  the  worship  of  those 
of  the  same  denomination,  so  that  among 
these  "  one  may  not  worship  without  the 
pale  of  his  own  Church  without  hearing 
new  and  strange  hymns !"  It  is  not  our 
business  here  to  determine  how  far  this 
practice  has  contributed  to  promote  dif- 
ferences and  separations  and  alienations 
among  professing  believers,  nor  to  assume 
that  no  alterations  are  ever  admissible; 
but  we  may  assert  that  a  change  of  the 
kind  should  be  a  subject  of  grave,  solemn, 
prayerful  deliberation. 

In  addition  to  the  importance  of  correct 


PLEA    FOR    PSALMODY.  69 

music,  and  appropriate  sentiment,  we  may 
also  mention  as  qualifications  which  de- 
mand attention,  distinctness  of  articula- 
tion, with  proper  accent,  and  correct  em- 
phasis, which  we  will  notice  in  the  next 
chapter.* 

*  By  articulation  is  meant  such  distinctness  and  accu- 
racy, as  gives  every  syllable  and  sound  with  truth  and 
perspicuity.  Accent  is  a  stress  of  voice  upon  some  one 
syllable  in  a  word.  Emphasis  is  a  peculiar  force  of  enun- 
ciation, by  which  the  more  important  words  in  a  sentence 
are  distinguished  above  the  rest. 


70  PLEA    FOR    PSALMODY. 


CHAPTER    VI. 


EXPRESSION. 


■"  To  sing  with  good  effect,  let  every  singer  read 
well,  express  every  vowel,  syllable,  and  word  clearly, 
and  distinctly  place  the  accent  according  to  the  most 
approved  method  of  pronunciation." — Tamsur. 

Nothing  connected  with  the  subject  of  sa- 
cred music  in  point  of  propriety,  can  be 
viewed  in  reason  as  unimportant.  As  ne- 
cessary as  these  qualifications  are  to  the 
public  speaker,  so  important  are  they  to 
the  singer.  Too  much  are  these  proper- 
ties of  suitable  devotion  disregarded,  or 
treated  as  of  little  moment.  The  senti- 
ment, it  would  seem,  is  hardly  considered — 
the  words  which  should   be   addressed  to 


PLEA     FOR    rSALMOBY.  7! 

Deity,  or  uttered  to  his  praise,  are  often 
suppressed  in  the  throat  or  shockingly  mu- 
tilated between  the  teeth,  and  every  thing 
is  sacrificed  to  mere  musical  sound /  as 
though  the  sound  were  the  great  essential, 
and  the  sentiment  nothing — whereas  it  is 
only  as  subserving  a  religious  purpose  that 
we  are  authorized  to  employ  music  in  the 
house  of  God,  at  all. 

No  religious  end  can  be  attained  by  mere 
sound  without  sentiment.  Even  could  we 
suppose  each  individual  to  have  a  correct 
and  feeling  apprehension  of  the  sentiment 
which  is  stifled  in  the  utterance,  the  effect 
must  be  in  a  great  measure  lost,  and  the 
practice  can  in  no  wise  be  considered  as 
indicative  of  a  suitable  sense  of  the  nature 
of  the  exercise,  or  of  true  reverence  for 
God.  Surely,  no  laboured  argument  is  ne- 
cessary to  show  the  very  great  impropriety 


72  PLEA   FOR    PSALMODY. 

of  this  slovenly  practice,  which  has  so  much 
obtained  in  many  instances.  We  would 
not  thus  address  an  earthly  potentate — the 
orator  would  not  thus  sacrifice  matter,  sa- 
tisfied with  having  made  the  sound;  for 
even  though  by  some  means  the  sentiment 
which  he  would  express  might  be  perceiv- 
ed by  all,  his  doing  so  would  not  be  consi- 
dered respectful.  Every  word  should  be 
as  distinctly  uttered  in  singing  the  praises 
of  God,  as  every  note  is  correctly  sound- 
ed.*    And  to  lose  sight  of  the  sentiment? 


*  In  his  rules  for  the  management  of  the  voice,  Turner 
remarks,  "  The  first  object  will  be  to  obtain  a  natural  tone 
of  voice  in  its  purest  state.  A  pure  voice  is  that  which 
comes  forth  neat  and  clean  from  the  cheat,  passing  freely 
through  the  mouth.  To  produce  this,  great  care  must  be 
taken  that  the  mouth  be  kept  moderately  open.  If  it  be 
too  much  closed,  the  voice  will  strike  against  the  teeth  and 
lips,  and  be  thereby  vitiated  or  enfeebled  ;  or  it  will  cause 
that  peculiar  action  of  the  nose,  which  renders  the  tone 
naial."    If  this  rule  were  strictly  observed,  all  that  annoy 


PLEA    FOR    PSALMODY.  73 

and  suppress  or  illy  express  the  words  by 
which  alone  the  sentiment  can  be  uttered, 
can  be  little  better  than  an  insult  to  Je- 
hovah. It  certainly  is  little  better  than 
mummery  in  an  unknown  tongue,  for  the 
edification  of  any  who  hear.* 

Jirticulation,  however,  is  not  alone  im- 
portant— we  have  said  there  must  be  pro- 
per accent  and  correct  emphasis.  To 
unite  the  three  properties  in  one  term,  we 
would  say  that  an  essential  to  Church-sing- 

ance,  which  is  the  frequent  practice  of  some, of  humming  the 
tune,  instead  of  singing,  would  not  be  perpetrated,  and  one 
great  hindrance  to  suitable  expression  would  be  avoided. 

*St.  Paul  reproves  the  Corinthians  for  singing  and  pray- 
ing in  an  unknown  tongue ;  and  declares  he  had  rather 
speak  five  words  with  his  understanding,  whereby  others 
might  be  edified,  than  ten  thousand  words  in  an  unknown 
tongue,  from  which  they  could  receive  no  benefit.  Such 
is  the  in-articulation  in  singing,  of  many,  that,  as  respects 
all  around  them,  they  speak  in  an  unknown  tongue,  and 
fall  under  the  same  condemnation  with  the  Corinthians. 
F 


74  PLEA     FOR     PSALMODY. 

ing,  is  expression.  "  I  will  sing  with  the 
spirit,"  said  the  great  Apostle  to  the  Gen- 
tiles, "  and  I  will  sing  with  the  understand- 
ing also ;"  meaning  by  "  the  spirit,"  the 
heart — that  inward  religious  sensibility 
which  ought  ever  to  accompany  the 
melody  of  the  voice  to  give  it  force  and 
expression,  and  by  "  the  understanding," 
not  only  a  sense  of  the  solemnity  of  the 
act,  but  a  due  mental  appreciation  of  the 
sentiment.  We  should  doubtless  employ  in 
aid  of  this  duty  the  best  judgment  and  skill 
of  which  we  are  capable ;  and  it  cannot 
reasonably  be  expected  that  He  who  has 
bestowed  the  gift  of  music,  and  has  given 
us  understanding,  will  accept  a  service 
from  those  who  are  capable  of  worship- 
ping appropriately,  which  is  destitute  either 
of  the  right  spirit,  or  appropriate  design 
and  attention  to  correct  style  and  manner. 
The  psalm  may  be  sung  with  distinct- 


PLEA   FOR    PSALMODY.  75 

ness  of  articulation,  and  every  note  in  the 
tune  may  be  correctly  sounded,  and  yet 
there  may  be  a  want  of  expression,  and 
the  music  may  therefore  be  without  effect 
The  expression  of  the  voice  should  be  ac- 
commodated to  the  nature  of  the  senti- 
ment expressed  ;  and  for  this  purpose  the 
sentiment  must  be  understood.  With  our 
mind  fixed  on  the  subject,  and  with  the 
idea  or  sentiment  strongly  impressed  on 
the  imagination  as  well  as  the  heart,  we 
ought  so  to  sing  as  to  give  effect  to  the  sen- 
timent uttered.  "  Should  a  preacher  deli* 
ver  his  sermon,  in  an  unanimated,  mono- 
tonous manner,  not  varying  the  movement, 
or  quantity,  or  tone  of  voice,  nor  even  ob- 
serving the  pauses — be  his  sermon  ever  so 
good,  or  his  pronunciation  ever  so  exact — - 
his  hearers  might  sleep,  and  his  labour  be 
lost.  That  performance  of  psalmody, 
.and  that  only,  is  entitled  to  be  called  good, 


76  PLEA     FOR     PSALMODY. 

in  which  the  movement,  quantity,  and  tone 
of  voice,  are  well  adapted  to  the  general 
subject,  and  so  varied  as  justly  to  express 
the  different  thoughts,  sentiments,  and  pas- 
sions."* 

It  is  greatly  to  be  feared  that  music  is 
too  often  conducted  even  in  the  Church, 
merely  as  an  amusement,  and  pursued  from 

*  This  is,  it  is  true,  an  attainment  which  requires  judg- 
ment, taste,  attention  and  practice.  To  aid  in  this  part  of 
psalmody,  some  have  published  editions  of  psalms  and 
hymns  marked  with  symbols  indicative  of  the  requisite 
variations  of  movement,  quantity,  and  tone  of  voice  ;  which 
are  of  essential  service  and  highly  approved.  As  general 
rules  accordant  with  common  sense  and  the  dictates  of 
nature,  all  who  appreciate  the  sentiment  sung,  will  ob- 
serve, for  instance,  in  the  pathetic,  the  slow  and  soft — in  the 
beautiful,  the  quick  and  soft — in  the  spirited,  the  quick  and 
loud — in  the  grand,  the  slow  and  loud — whilst  other  pas  - 
eages  will  be  considered  as  requiring  no  considerable 
change  from  the  common  movement  or  quantity,  but  a  pe- 
culiar distinctness  of  utterance,  or  some  distinction  in  the 
tone  or  modulation  of  the  voice,  expressive  whether  of 


PLEA   FOB   PSALMODY.  77 

week  to  week  for  mere  sensual  gratifica- 
tion. Dr.  Adam  Clarke  remarks,  too  truly, 
"  The  spirit  and  the  understanding  are  sel- 
dom united  in  congregational  singing :  those 
whose  hearts  are  right  with  God,  have 
generally  no  skill  in  music,  and  those  who 
are  well  skilled  in  music,  have  seldom  a 
devotional  spirit." 

abhorrence,  indignation,  scorn,  or  any  other  sentiment.  A 
good  judgment  and  proper  attention  to  the  sentiment,  espe- 
cially where  is  the  heart  of  true  piety,  will  generally  dic- 
tate the  proper  expression.  Great  improvement,  however, 
may  be  made  in  this  department  by  careful  practice,  and 
essential  aid  derived  to  a  choir,  or  congregation,  from  the 
above  referred  to  keys  of  expression. 


F2 


78  PLEA    FOR    PSALMODY. 


CHAPTER   VII. 

THE  TUXES  MUST  BE  APPIIOPHIATE. 

"  In  assigning  particular  tunes  for  the  several  psalms 
and  hymns,  regard  (must  be)  had,  not  merely  to  the 
different  key,  but  also  to  the  peculiar  air  and  charac- 
ter of  each  tune,  and  its  appropriate  adaptation  to  the 
psalm  or  hymn." — Worcester. 

Another  particular  which  claims  special 
attention,  that  we  may  worship  aright  in 
this  ordinance,  is  the  choice  of  appropriate 

TUNES. 

They  who  direct  in  this  matter  for  a 
whole  worshipping  assembly,  and  for  so 
important  an  act  of  devotion,  should  feel  a 
solemn  responsibility,  and  have  sacred  re- 
gard to  the  holy  nature  of  the  use  to  be 


PLEA    FOR    PSALMODY.  79 

made  of  the  music  which  they  select. — 
Leaders  of  choirs,  in  their  selections,  as 
the  choir  in  their  performances,  should  feel 
that  the  devotions  of  the  congregation,  so 
far  as  this  part  of  sacred  worship  is  con- 
cerned, depend  greatly  on  the  manner  in 
which  they  discharge  their  duty.  They 
should  also  remember  that  their  perform- 
ances exert  an  important  influence  on 
every  other  part  of  public  worship — quick- 
ening the  feelings  to  greater  devotion  in 
prayer — preparing  the  mind  to  attend 
with  greater  solemnity  and  reverence  of 
God's  holy  word — and  deepening  the  im- 
pressions which  divine  truth  may  make  ; 
or  diverting  the  thought  and  dissipating 
the  feelings  which  the  solemnity  of  the 
place  and  occasion  requires,  and  which 
other  parts  of  our  holy  worship  are  calcu- 
lated to  produce.  If  the  tune  selected  be 
not   appropriate   and  proper,  an  error  is 


81)  PLEA     FOR     PSALMODY. 

committed  at  the  very  beginning  which 
must  necessarily  exert  an  unfortunate  in- 
fluence through  the  whole  performance. 

Neither  a  fondness  for  novelty,  nor  an 
undue  desire  for  a  multiplicity  of  tunes, 
will  best  accommodate  the  circumstances 
of  the  congregation,  who,  ordinarily,  should 
be  permitted  to  unite  both  their  hearts  and 
their  voices  in  the  praise.  Not  that  due 
improvement  in  this  matter  should  be  dis- 
couraged ;  but  frequent  and  unnecessary 
changes  should  be  avoided.  The  adoption 
of  a  few  well  chosen  tunes  for  permanent 
use,  is  greatly  preferable  to  a  great  variety 
and  a  frequent  change.  In  proof  of  this, 
it  should  be  sufficient  to  reflect  how  often, 
in  some  Churches,  the  congregation  whose 
duty  it  is  "to  join  as  well  in  the  public 
praise  as  the  public  prayer,"  are  "  debar- 
red from  the  due  performance  of  this  duty," 


PLEA     FOR     PSALMODY.  81 

by  frequent  changes  or  highly  scientific 
music;  and  how  generally  "when  an  old 
and  well-known  tune  is  sung,  one  universal 
song  of  praise  breaks  from  the  whole  con- 
gregation." Besides,  "  good  tunes,  to  be 
performed  with  any  adequate  effect,"  must 
be  "  familiar  to  the  performers."  Without 
a  familiar  acquaintance  with  the  tune,  ex- 
pression— that  very  important  part  of  good 
musical  performance — will  be  wanting. 
And  it  has  been  well  observed  by  one  who 
has  done  much  for  the  promotion  of  good 
sacred  music,  that  "  good  tunes  must  be 
familiarized  by  use,  before  their  beauties 
and  excellencies  will  be  in  any  good  degree 
perceived  and  felt.  The  longer  and  better 
they  are  practised,  the  more  will  they  be 
loved  and  admired ;  and  when  they  are 
lightly  esteemed,  or  willingly  exchanged 
for  others,  it  must  be  owing  not  to  a  fami- 


82  PLEA     FOR    PSALM  OPT. 

liar  acquaintance  with  them,   but  to  the 
want  of  such  acquaintance."* 

Nor,  as  a  general  thing,  is  that  kind  of 
music  sometimes  caUedfuging,  best  adapt- 
ed to  the  ends  of  public  worship.!  Music 
for  the  worship  of  Jehovah,  should  be  sim- 
ple, easy,  and  solemn.  Repetitions  should 
be  sparingly  used  in  public  worship,  and 
never  without  evident  propriety. 

It  is  not  contended  that  there  is  any 
thing  sacred  in  mere  sound,  or  in  any  ar- 
rangement of  notes,  or  order  of  expression 

*  Mason. 

t "  There  are  two  things  which  I  could  never  reconcile 
to  common  sense.  One  is,  singing  the  same  words  ten 
times  over  ;  the  other,  singing  different  words  by  different 
persons,  at  one  and  the  same  time ;  and  this  in  the  most  so- 
lemn addresses  to  God,  whether  by  way  of  prayer  or  of 
thanksgiving.  This  can  never  be  defended  by  all  the  mu- 
sicians in  Europe,  till  reason  is  quite  out  of  date." — John 
Wesley. 


PLEA     FOR     PSALMODT.  83 

even  of  sentiment.  But  "  that  there  is 
something  in  certain  transitions  and  modi- 
fications of  sounds,  less  calculated  than 
others  to  excite  seriousness  and  devotion, 
and  therefore  not  so  proper  to  be  used  in 
the  solemn  exercises  of  divine  worship,  can- 
not be  denied.  And  that  flighty,  unserious 
airs  form  the  best  medium  of  our  commu- 
nion with  heaven,  and  the  most  suitable  in 
which  to  address  our  direct  and  solemn 
homage  to  the  King  Eternal,  in  the  temple 
of  the  living  God,"  none  will  pretend.  A 
lightness  and  want  of  solemnity  in  the 
tune,  is  very  apt  to  banish  seriousness  of 
mind,  and  to  beget  levity  of  feeling  and 
manners. 

To  these  things  there  has  not  always 
been  suitable  attention.  A  better  taste 
prevailed  in  olden  times.  Queen  Eliza- 
beth, who  seems  to  have  had  correct  views 


84  PLEA     FOR     PSALMODY. 

of  appropriate  music  for  solemn  worship, 
"in  the  49th  of  her  injunctions  respecting 
public  worship,  says,  that  she  '  willeth  that 
there  be  a  modest  and  distinct  song- used 
in  all  parts  of  the  Common  Prayer  in  the 
Church,  that  the  same  may  be  under- 
standed  as  if  it  were  read,  without  sing- 
ing. '  *  To  the  same  purpose  is  the  judi- 
cious Hooker:  "  In  Church  music,  curio- 
sity and  ostentation  of  art,  wanton  or 
light  or  unsuitable  harmony,  such  as  only 
pleaseth  the  ear,  and  doth  not  naturally 
serve  to  the  very  kind  and  degree  of  those 
impressions,  which  the  matter  that  goeth 
with  it,  leaveth,  or  is  apt  to  leave  in  men's 
minds,  doth  rather  blemish  and  disgrace 
that  we  do,  than  add  either  beauty  or  fur- 
therance to  it.  On  the  other  side,  these 
faults  prevented,  the  force  and  efficacy  of 
the  thing  itself,  when  it  drowneth  not  ut- 
terly, but  fitly  suiteth  with  matter  altoge- 


PLEA     FOR     PSALMODY.  85 

ther  sounding  the  praise  of  God,  is  in  truth 
most  admirable,  and  doth  much  edify,  if 
not  the  understanding,  because  it  teacheth 
not,  yet  surely  the  affection,  because  there- 
in it  worketh  much.  They  must  have 
hearts  very  dry  and  tough,  from  whom  the 
melody  of  the  psalms  doth  not  sometime 
draw  that  wherein  a  mind  religiously  af- 
fected delighteth."*     A  modern  writer  has 

*  "  Such  also  was  the  opinion  of  Archbishop  Parker,  who 
published  a  metrical  version  of  the  Psalms  in  1557,  and  em- 
ployed Tallis  to  compose  eight  tunes,  which  were  syllabic 
and  for  the  most  part  in  a  minor  key,  and  to  which  his  ver- 
sion might  be  sung.  Indeed  the  whole  character  of  the  mu- 
sic of  the  Church  from  the  earliest  period,  seems  to  have 
been  fully  accordant  with  these  views.  It  was  designed  to 
be  congregational,  and  so  plain,  simple  and  grave  in  its  me- 
lody, that  all  the  people  might  sing  as  well  with  the  under- 
standing as  the  spirit.  It  has  been  reserved  for  modern 
days  to  substitute  the  changing  variety  of  airs  and  mea- 
sures in  Church  music  for  the  plain,  yet  rich  and  majestic 
psalmody  of  the  Apostolic  age  ;  and  by  the  translation  of 
the  lighter  airs  of  the  parlour  to  public  worship,  to  carry 
G 


86  PLEA    FOR    PSALMODY. 

remarked,  "  It  has  been  reserved  for  mo- 
dern days  to  substitute  the  changing  va- 
riety of  airs  and  measures  in  Church  music 
for  the  plain,  yet  rich  and  majestic  psal- 
mody of  the  Apostolic  age."  A  change, 
however,  is  being  effected :  in  numerous 
instances  where  such  music  predominated 
for  a  time,  worshipping  assemblies,  of  va- 
rious denominations,  are  returning  to  a 
more  appropriate  style,  and  evincing  at  the 

one,  by  the  irresistible  laws  of  association,  to  secular  scenes 
and  thoughts.  These  abuses  deserve  to  be  scourged  from 
the  temple,  and  the  syllabic  music  of  other  days  restored 
to  our  congregations.  Constituted  as  man  is,  there  is  no 
vehicle  like  sound  for  lifting  the  soul  upward  to  the  eter- 
nal source  of  glory  and  harmony,  and  viewing  ourselves 
as  bound  to  praise  God  with  such  powers  as  he  has  given 
us,  we  are  equally  bound  to  give  him  our  best  and  most 
appropriate  service.  *  *  We  will  only  add  the  advice 
of  a  distinguished  prelate  of  the  English  Church  to  his 
sovereign  upon  the  subject  of  the  music  of  public  worship. 
"  In  my  opinion,  the  song  that  shall  be  made  thereunto, 
should  not  be  full  of  notes,  but  as  near  as  may  be  for  every 


P  L  E  A    F  0  R    P  S  A  L  M  O  D  Y.v  87 

same  time  a  more  correct  musical  taste,  and 
a  more  correct  apprehension  of  the  deco- 
rum which  becomes  the  solemn  worship  of 
the  great  God. 

Great  regard  should  also  be  had  to 
the  appropriate  adaptation  of  the  tune 
to  the  psalm  or  hymn  to  be  sung.  Care 
is  necessary  in  this  duty  not  only  in  re- 
spect to  the  proper  key,  but  to  the  pecu- 

syllable  a  note,  so  that  it  may  be  sung  distinctly  and  de- 
voutly, as  be  in  the  Matins,  Even-song,  Venite,  the  Hymns, 
Te  Deura,  &c,  and  all  the  Psalms." — Missionary. 

••The  rule  laid  down  for  Church  music  in  England, 
nearly  a  thousand  years  ago,  was  '  Simplicem  sanctamque 
melodiam,  secundum  morem  ecclesiae,  sectentur.'  Let  them 
observe'a  simple  and  sacred  melody,  after  the  manner  of  the 
Church.1" — Spelman.  Concil.,  as  quoted  by  Mason. 

Dr.  Adam  Clarke,  contrasting  the  music  of  the  primitive 
Church,  the  practice  of  Christ's  early  disciples,  with  the 
practice  prevalent  in  modern  times,  remarks,  "I  rather 
suppose  their  singing  consisted  in  solemn,  well-measured 
recitativo,  than  in  the  gingling  and  often  foolish  sounds 
which  we  use  when  a  single  monosyllable  is  shivered  into 
thirty-six  demi-semi-quavers." 


88  PLEA    FOR    PSALMODY. 

Harity  of  the  air  and  character  of  the 
tune.  Even  where  all  light  and  improper 
tunes  are  repudiated,  the  effect  of  public 
psalmody  may  be  greatly  injured  by  the 
words  being  sung  to  an  ill-adapted  tune.* 

*  This  is  a  subject  of  so  much  importance  that  we  will 
here  insert  at  length,  the  remarks  on  adaptation  of  one  well 
qualified  to  speak  to  this  point. 

"  The  subject  of  adapting  music  to  works  in  metrical 
psalmody,  seems  to  be  in  its  infancy.  The  musician  has 
done  but  very  little  by  his  compositions  to  enforce  the  sen- 
timent of  the  poet — if  we  except  some  few  cases  of  parti- 
cular adaptation.  On  the  one  hand,  the  poet  has  written 
without  reference  to  musical  effect ;  and  on  the  other,  the 
musician  has  composed  without  any  attention  to  rhetorical 
effect.  And  it  is  difficult  to  see  how  much  progress  can 
be  made  in  this  department  while  we  are  obliged  to  sing  so 
many  different  hymns  to  the  same  tune.  Time  does  not  per- 
mit us  to  pursue  this  subject.  The  principle  of  adaptation, 
however,  to  which  we  now  allude,  and  the  difficulties 
attending  it  in  the  present  state  of  Church  music,  may  be 
illustrated  by  one  or  two  familiar  examples. 

"  If  we  attend  to  the  well-known  doxology  of  Dr.  Watts, 

•  To  God  the  Father,  God  the  Son/  &c. 


PLEA     FOR    PSALMODY. 


89 


That  plan  is  a  good  one  which  has  been 
pursued  by  some,  not  only  of  furnishing  in 
connexion  with  the  words  rules  for  musical 
expression,  but    of  referring  each    psalm 


sung  to  the  tune  of  Old  Hundred,  as  it  very  commonly 
and  appropriately  is  in  the  present  state  of  musical  im- 
provement, we  shall  find  that  the  particles  to  and  the,  are 
quite  as  conspicuous  as  the  principal  words  of  the  line. — 
The  evil  in  this  case  is  that  the  very  words,  as  sung,  have 
a  tendency  to  obscure  the  sentiment. 

Example,— 


^ 


Bgj 


To     God    the    Father.    God  the  Son, 


**  Now  suppose  we  employ  a  different  melody — a  melody 
adapted  to  the  comparative  emphatic  force  of  each  word ; 
the  advantage  will  be  apparent : 


HE 


f^ 


\ 


To    God  the    Father,    God  the 
g2 


Son. 


90 


PLEA    FOR   PSALMODY. 


and  hymn  to  a  proper  key  and  suitable 
tune.  Choristers,  or  leaders,  may  not  in 
all  cases  be  ready  at  a  moment  to  fix  upon 
the  tune  best  suited  to  express  the  senti- 
ments of  the  portion  to  be  sung.     But,  by 

"  Again — Suppose  we  sing  to  the  excellent  old  tune  of 
Winchester  the  following  lines  : 

'  Go  preach  my  gospel,  saith  the  Lord, 
Bid  the  whole  earth  my  grace  receive  ;' 

we  shall  find  that,  from  the  prolonged  notes  and  inappro- 
priate melody,  the  significance  of  the  words  will  be  wholly 
lost. 


Go      preach    my  Gospel,        saith  the 


ZgT 


-B— I 


Lord.  . 


m 


grace 


3£2 


Bid  the  whole  earth  my 

mwmm 


re  -  -  ceive. 


PLEA     FOR    PSALMODY. 


91 


this  arrangement  the  most  skilful  may  often 
be  relieved  from  much  embarrassment,  and 
those  whose  judgment  and  taste  is  deficient 
may  be  saved  from  inflicting  on  the  con- 
gregation inappropriate  music* 

"  Whereas,  if  we  employ  a  melody  written  with  reference 
to  the  sentiment,  the  music  may  be  made  to  perform  its 
office  with  effect: 


For. 


Pia. 


Mez. 


Bid  the  whole    earth  my    grace  re  -  -  ceive. 


"  These  examples  are  by  no  means  striking ;  but  they  are 
sufficiently  so  to  give  some  idea  of  the  importance  of  par- 
ticular adaptation." — L.  Mason. 

*  In  respect  to  the  adaptation  of  the  music  to  the  senti- 
ment, perhaps  filial  veneration  and  partiality  may  not  un- 
duly influence  the  judgment,  if  we  say  that  in  the  Protes- 
tant Episcopal  communion  there  is  much  less  liability  to 


92  PLEA    FOR    PSALMODY. 

err  than  elsewhere :  for  so  great  a  portion  of  this  service 
of  the  Church  is  made  up  of  Scripture  to  which  there  is 
a  particular  adaptation  of  good  music  composed  expressly 
for  the  sentiment  and  very  words  to  be  sung,  that  we  are 
furnished  with  peculiar  facilities  for  well-conducted  praise. 
And  so  great  would  be  the  contrast  between  these  portions 
of  the  liturgy  sung  in  their  appropriate  music,  and  psalms 
or  hymns  sung  in  the  lighter  airs  of  the  parlour,  or  ball- 
room, or  theatre,  that  we  may  safely  assert  that  where  the 
stated  services  of  the  Church  are  enjoyed,  that  music 
which  is  greatly  objectionable  would  hardly  find  a  taste  so 
perverse  as  to  tolerate  it. 


PLEA    FOR    PSALMODY.  93 


CHAPTER   VIII. 

INSTRUMENTAL  ACCOMPANIMENT. 

"  Why  instrumental  music  should  be  abolished  as  a 
legal  ceremony,  and  vocal  music,  which  was  as  much 
so,  should  be  retained,  no  good  reason  can  be  assign- 
ed."— Bishop  Home. 

The  advantage  of  instrumental  accom- 
paniment is  generally  conceded.  To  in- 
strumental music  objections  are  sometimes 
urged,  and  conscientious  scruples  in  respect 
to  its  use  are  sometimes  cherished  ;  but  the 
fact  is  indisputable  that,  from  the  time  of 
David  at  least,  psalmody,  conducted  by  the 
aid  of  various  kinds  of  instruments,  has 


94  PLEA     FOR    PSALMODY. 

found  a  prominent  place  in  the  daily  wor- 
ship at  the  sanctuary,  under  the  Old  Tes- 
tament dispensation,  and  received  the  ap- 
probation of  God.  Nor  was  any  instruc- 
tion given  at  any  time  that  a  different 
practice  ought  to  prevail  under  the  New. 
The  best  masters  have  considered  that  u  it 
is  impossible  in  ordinary  cases  for  good  vo- 
cal music  to  exist  without  the  support  of 
instruments."  On  this  subject,  Mr.  Mason 
speaks  to  the  purpose,  whose  words  we 
will  quote : 

"  In  every  choir  of  singers,  a  judicious 
accompaniment  seems  to  be  indispensable 
to  complete  success.  Such  an  accompani- 
ment guides,  sustains,  strengthens,  and  re- 
lieves the  vocal  parts.  It  promotes  good 
tone  and  correct  intonation,  and  renders 
vocal  music  pleasing  and  effective.  But 
the  art  of  accompaniment  seems  to  be  as 
little  understood  and  as  much  abused  by 


PLEA   FOR    PSALMODY.  95 

instrumentalists,  as  is  the  art  of  singing  by- 
vocalists.  Instead  of  accompanying  the 
singing,  instrumental  performers  often  take 
the  lead  of  it.  Instead  of  playing  in  a 
very  soft  and  simple  manner,  and  in  exact 
unison  with  the  voice,  they  will,  for  the 
sake  of  distinction,  make  as  much  noise  as 
possible,  raise  their  instruments  an  octave 
above  the  pitch,  and  introduce  a  multitude 
of  shakes  and  flourishes  and  graces  [falsely 
so  called]  which  are  wholly  out  of  place, 
and  are  equally  offensive  to  correct  musi- 
cal taste  and  religious  propriety.  *  *  # 
When  instruments  are  employed,  they 
should  be  made  in  every  respect  subordi- 
nate to  the  vocal  parts,  with  which  they 
should  combine  in  a  harmonious  and  deli- 
cate manner. 

"  The  Organ  is  certainly  the  most  valua- 
ble instrument  for  accompanying  Church 


96  PLEA   FOR   PSALMODY. 

music*  Its  fixed  intonations,  its  facilities 
for  harmonic  combinations,  its  lofty  and  so- 
lemn tones,  its  adaptation  to  the  perform- 

*  Other  instruments  are  employed  in  the  public  worship 
of  God,  to  advantage.  The  Flute,  as  an  instrument 'of 
great  softness  and  sweetness  of  tone,  and  perhaps  more 
nearly  resembling  the  human  voice,  than  any  other  instru- 
ment, is  an  unexceptionable  accompaniment.  Its  power, 
however,  is  not  equal  to  the  task  of  affording  any  very 
considerable  or  sensible  assistance  in  a  large  choir.  The 
Clarionet  has  compass  greater  than  that  of  the  flute,  and 
its  tones  are  full  and  mellow ;  but  it  is  an  instrument 
which  requires  great  skill  in  the  performer,  before  it  can 
with  any  safety  be  introduced  in  public  worship,  and  even 
then  is  liable  to  some  serious  objections.  The  Violin,  in 
the  hands  of  a  skilful  performer,  has  superior  qualities.  A 
large  body  of  tone  may  be  drawn  from  it,  or  it  may  be  soft- 
ened to  the  lowest  piano ;  but  this  instrument  requires  the 
closest  attention  and  a  most  correct  ear,  or  its  notes  will  be 
imperfect,  and  mislead  and  embarrass.  The  Violincello 
is  greatly  useful,  and  liable  to  but  few  objections.  The 
Bassoon  and  Hautboy  are  better  adapted  to  martial  mu- 
sic, than  to  the  Church.  The  loudness  and  shrillness  of 
their  high  notes,  and  the  roughness  and  harshness  of  the 
low,  render  them  unfit  for  an  accompaniment  in  a  choir. 


PLEA     FOR    rSALMODY.  97 

ance  of  soft  and  loud,  and  the  circumstance 
of  its  always  being  in  order  and  ready  for 
use,  give  it  a  decided  advantage  over  every 
other  instrument.  The  organ  has  also  the 
benefit  of  strong  favourable  associations ; 
as  it  belongs  almost  exclusively  to  the 
Church,  and  is  seldom  employed  in  any 
other  than  sacred  music.  *  *  When 
under  the  hand  of  a  man  who  understands 
his  art,  and  feels  his  subject,  the  organ  pos- 
sesses a  charm  that  is  irresistible,  and  at 
the  same  time  subordinate  to  sentiment. 
It  even  renders  enunciation  more  distinct, 
and  the  interest  and  expression  of  the  sub- 
ject more   exalted  and  refined.     *     *     * 

These  instruments  are  all  liable  to  unhallowed  associa- 
tions, and  generally  require  much  time  and  attention  to 
keep  them  in  order.  The  tuning  of  them  in  Church, 
which  is  generally  deemed  necessary,  is  often  exceedingly 
annoying  to  those  of  the  congregation  who,  whilst  the  con- 
gregation is  assembling,  would  be  left  to  undisturbed  se- 
rious reflection. 

H 


98  PLEA   FOR    PSALMODY. 

But  valuable  as  the  organ  is,  how  seldom 
do  we  find  it  well  managed !  •  *  An  ability 
to  play  well,  is  not  the  only  qualification 
needed  in  an  organist.  *  *  He  should 
be  a  pious  man,  or  at  least  one  who  has  a 
deep  sense  of  the  solemnity  of  public  wor- 
ship. He  should  be  a  man  of  quick  sen- 
sibility, or  he  will  neither  enter  into  the 
spirit  of  the  words  sung,  nor  of  the  other 
exercises.  He  must  be  a  man  of  good 
judgment,  or  he  will  make  the  most  fatal 
mistakes  in  accompanying  such  hymns  as 
call  forth,  in  different  stanzas,  emotions  of 
a  different  character.  He  should  under- 
stand the  nature  of  his  instrument  and  the 
object  of  its  introduction  into  the  Church, 
as  an  accompaniment  to  the  voices — sub- 
servient to  vocal  effect,  or  rather  designed 
to  promote  it.  *  *  Were  such  organists 
employed,  there  would  be  fewer  complaints 
of  loud  and  unmeaning  playing — of  long, 


TLEA     FOR     PSALMODY  09 

flourishing  and  fanciful  interludes,  foreign 
to  the  subject  and  unfit  for  the  Church."* 

*  An  Organist  "  must  not  drown  or  overpower  the  sing- 
ers by  an  unremitted  loudness  and  violent  intonations  of 
the  full  organ,  but  merely  conduct  and  regulate  and  sus- 
tain the  voices  in  a  low  and  soft  accompaniment.  *  *  * 
Simplicity  is  the  greatest  excellence  he  has  to  aim  at ;  and 
that  end  for  which  he  is  employed  will  be  best  answered, 
when  the  congregation  are  least  aware  of  the  assistance 
they  derive  from  him."— Bishop  Porteus. 


100  PLEA    FOR    PSALMODY. 


CHAPTER   IX. 

THE  DEPORTMENT  MUST  BE  REVERENT. 

"Surely — our  external  posture,  and  our  serious  at- 
tention, should  indicate  the  reverence  of  our  hearts, 
when  we  assemble  to  worship  this  glorious  God." — 
Br.  Scott. 

Need  it  also  be  said  that  the  deportment 
should  in  this  duty,  as  in  prayer  and  every 
act  of  worship,  be  decent,  solemn  and  re- 
gular? Not  only  should  no  improper, 
light,  or  trivial  gestures  be  indulged,  or 
conversation  more  than  in  the  time  of 
prayer;  and  the  smile  of  levity,  too  irre- 
verent at  such  a  moment,  to  be  contem- 
plated without  sensations  of  horror,  be  un- 
known;   but    the  posture    of   the    body 


PLEA    FOR    PSALMODY.  101 

should  be  reverent — not  that  of  apparent 
sloth  or  indifference.  The  attitude  which 
the  Church  generally  practices,  and  in  re- 
spect to  which  uniformity  is  to  be  desired, 
it  appears  to  us  should  be  greatly  pre- 
ferred. As  kneeling  or  bending  forward 
in  the  posture  of  supplication,  is  an  ap- 
propriate position  in  prayer — so  rising  to 
sing  the  praises  of  the  Most  High  seems 
greatly  appropriate  and  worthy  of  univer- 
sal observance.  "  In  heaven,"  says  a  late 
learned  divine,*  "prostration  is  used;" 
"surely,"  he  adds,  "on  earth  less  than 
standing  cannot  be  deemed  due  rever- 
ence."! 

*  Dr.  Collyer. 

t  Turner,  in  his  vocal  guide,  recommends  standing  in  an 
erect,  but  easy  posture,  as  a  means  of  keeping  the  chest 
expanded. 


102  PLEA   FOR    PSALMODY. 


CHAPTER    X. 

THE  HEART  MUST  BE  ENGAGED  IJT  THE  DUTY. 

"  Singing  with  grace  in  your  hearts  unto  the  Lord." 

St.  Paul. 

Here  is  another  requisite,  and  indeed  the 
great  essential  in  acceptable  public  wor- 
ship, which  remains  to  be  considered. 

There  may  be  the  utmost  attention  to 
outward  form — to  external  deportment,  and 
yet  all  our  attempts  at  worship  may  be  no 
better  than  a  sounding  brass,  or  a  tinkling 
cymbal.  True  and  acceptable  worship 
pre-supposes  the  heart  engaged.  It  were 
a  great  and  lamentable  error,  and  a  very 
gross  idea,  to  suppose  the  Most  High  pleased 


PLEA   FOR    PSALMODY.  103 

with  sound  without  the  sincere  and  humble 
sacrifice  of  the  heart. 

"  God  is  a  Spirit  just  and  wise; 

He  sees  our  inmost  mind : 
In  vain  to  heaven  we  raise  our  cries, 

And  leave  our  soul  behind." 

"  The  Lord  taketh  pleasure  in  them  that 
fear  him,  and  in  them  that  hope  in  his 
mercy."  David  says,  "  I  will  praise  the 
Lord  with  my  whole  heart  in  the  assembly 
of  the  upright  and  in  the  congregation." 

Let  the  melody  of  the  heart  ascend  with 
the  melody  of  our  voice,  and  it  will  make 
music  in  the  ear  of  God,  and  our  praises 
come  up  before  him  with  acceptance.  It 
is  greatly  to  be  feared  that  this  delightful 
harmony  of  heart  and  voice  is  often  want- 
ing, even  where  a  1  appears  right  to  the 
eye  and  ear.  When  piety  is  enjoying  the 
most  elevated  devotion,  and  is  ready  to  say, 


104  PLEA     FOR    PSALMODY. 

of  the  praises  of  those  around,  who  appear 
to  worship  with  her, 

*  This  "  harmony  divine 
So  smooths  her  charming  tones,  that  God's  own  ear 
Listens  delighted,"  ' 

even  then  there  may  be  in  the  worship  of 
many,  a  lamentable  and  fatal  deficiency. 
Without  the  melody  of  the  heart,  our  wor- 
ship is  vain. 

Tranquillizing  the  passions,  elevating  the 
affections  to  a  devotional  frame,  and  pre- 
paring  the  heart  through  the  operations  of 
divine  grace  for  the  enjoyment  and  more 
ready  perception  of  moral  beauty,  music  is 
well  calculated  as  a  means  to  effect  a  most 
desirable  and  gracious  end;  and  happy 
they,  who,  in  their  worship,  entering  into 
the  spirit  of  the  duty,  find  the  means  sub- 
servient,   and    enjoy    the    fruition — their 


PLEA    FOR    PSALMODY.  105 

hearts  lifted  up  to  the  true  source  of  all 
harmony  and  glory. 

"  My  willing  soul  would  stay 
In  such  a  frame  as  this." 

This  indispensable  qualification  for  ac- 
ceptable religious  praise  should  be  seriously 
considered,  and  the  consideration  should 
lead  to  serious  self-examination  and  fervent 
prayer. 


106  PLEA    FOR    PSALMODY 


CHAPTER   XL 

THE  DUTY  MTTST  BE  PEnrOKMED  DIRECTLY  TO  OOD. 

"  To  God,  the  great,  the  ever-blest, 

Let  songs  of  honour  be  address'd." — Watts. 

The  duty  is  not  performed  aright  by  mere- 
ly conducting  our  several  parts  of  worship 
so  as  to  secure  the  approbation  of  our  fel- 
low-men, but  it  must  be  performed  as  in 
the  presence  of  the  all-seeing,  every -where 
present,  and  heart-searching  God. 

An  unmindfulness  of  Him  in  their  songs, 
is  that  which  God  so  pointedly  condemns  in 
his   people  of  old,  by  his  holy  prophets: 


PLEA    FOR    PSALMODY.  107 

"  They  regard  not  the  work  of  the  Lord, 
neither  consider  the  operation  of  his  hands;" 
and  again,  "  They  chant  to  the  sound  of 
the  viol,  and  invent  themselves  instruments 
of  music  like  David,  *  *  but  they  are  not 
grieved  for  the  affliction  of  Joseph.  *  * 
Take  thou  away  from  me  the  noise  of  thy 
songs,  for  I  will  not  hear  the  melody  of  thy 
viols;"  plainly  showing  that  in  the  use  of 
music  for  our  own  gratification  merely,  or 
for  sensual  ends  and  purposes,  there  is  no- 
thing truly  pleasing  to  God,  even  although 
the  sentiment  we  utter  may  be  unobjec- 
tionable, nay,  truly  evangelical. 

Music  may  not  indeed  be  confined  to  the 
public  worship  of  God,  and  to  the  imme- 
diate act  of  private  devotion;  but  it  ought, 
like  all  other  enjoyments,  to  be  improved 
with  reference  to  the  glory  of  God — either 
with  ultimate  reference  to  his  glory,  as  in 


108  PLEA     FOR    PSALMODY. 

private  or  in  the  social  circle  to  unbend  and 
relax  the  mind  from  corroding  cares — to 
refreshen  and  enliven  the  animal  spirits, 
and  to  raise  the  mind  from  dejection,  or  to 
relieve  it  from  the  effects  of  too  great  in- 
tensity of  mental  exercise,  and  to  fit  it  the 
better  for  the  various  duties  of  life ;  or 
with  immediate  reference  to  his  glory,  in 
the  noblest  use  of  music,  to  enkindle  a  spirit 
of  devotion  in  the  soul,  to  worship  and  mag- 
nify the  Lord  God  of  our  salvation.  And 
it  may  be  considered  one  of  the  melancholy 
evidences  of  the  depravation  of  our  race, 
that  there  is  so  general  a  propensity  in 
mankind  to  pervert  and  abuse  the  musical 
art  to  a  wrong  end.  The  highest  end 
which  many  propose  in  the  melody  of 
sounds,  is  the  excitement  of  carnal  mirth, 
and  a  keener  relish  to  scenes  of  conviviali- 
ty, if  not  of  riot  and  intoxication !  A  merry 
-song  over  their  wine,  or  to  beguile  the  in- 


PLEA    FOR    PSALMODY.  109 

sipidity  of  misspent  time,  and  to  banish  se- 
rious thought,  is  the  chief  use  which  they 
ever  make  of  this  noble  gift  of  God  I 


110  PLEA     FOR    PSALMODY. 


CHAPTER   XII. 

THE  HOLT  SPIRIT'S  INFLUENCE  MUST  BE  SOUGHT. 

"  Let  thy  kind  Spirit  in  my  heart 

For  ever  dwell,  O  God  of  love, 

And  light  and  heavenly  peace  impart — 

Sweet  earnests  of  the  joys  above." — Steele. 

Were  we  to  embody  in  a  word  the  whole 
exhortation  which,  as  a  minister  of  the  Lord 
Jesus,  we  would  deliver  on  this  important 
part  of  the  subject,  it  should  be  in  the  lan- 
guage of   the  Apostle's  charge,  "  Be   ye 

FILLED  WITH  THE  SPIRIT." 

The  instructions  of  the  Holy  Spirit  can- 
not be  too  highly  valued,  nor  the  conviction 
that  "God  is  greatly  to  be  feared  in  the  as- 


PLEA     FOR     PSALMODY.  Ill 

sembly  of  his  saints,  and  to  be  had  in  re- 
verence of  all  them  that  are  about  him," 
too  deeply  impressed  on  every  mind  and 
heart. 

To  be  "  filled  with  the  Spirit"  is  to  know 
the  genuine  effects  of  the  Spirit's  sanctify- 
ing operations  upon  the  soul,  yielding  "the 
fruits  of  the  Spirit,"  which  are  "  love,  joy, 
peace,  long-suffering,  gentleness,  goodness, 
faith,  meekness,  temperance."  Where  these 
virtues  are  found  in  heavenly  concert,  God 
is  well  pleased.  Where  there  is  neither 
discord  in  the  heart,  nor  on  the  lips,  there 
is  melody  indeed.  It  is  the  prelude  to  the 
exercise  of  angels — to  the  transports  of 
heaven. 

Where  the  influences  of  the  Holy  Ghost 
are  truly  felt,  and 

"  Tune  our  lips  to  sing  God's  praise  " 


112  PLEA     FOR    PSALMODY. 

there  cannot  fail  to  be  a  meek  and  quiet 
spirit,  which  in  the  sight  of  God  is  of  great 
price.  Differences  will  never  arise  amongst 
true  worshippers  who  rightly  consider  the 
solemnity  of  the  duty,  and  fully  imbibe  the 
humble  spirit  of  true  devotion,  either  in 
regard  to  the  place  they  shall  occupy,  or  in 
respect  to  any  supposed  superiority  of  mu- 
sical talent.  Where  the  several  members 
of  a  choir  shall  stand  to  praise  God,  whe- 
ther in  this  position,  or  that,  will  be  consi- 
dered a  matter  of  comparative  indifference 
so  that  God  may  be  glorified.  Would  there 
be  a  spirit  of  prayer  where  there  is  con- 
tention for  the  highest  and  most  honourable 
place  in  view  of  men,  on  which  to  kneel 
before  God  ?  Neither  are  they  in  the  spirit 
of  true  worshippers,  in  singing  the  praises 
of  God,  who  have  not  the  spirit  of  little 
children,  willing  to  serve  God  in  any  posi- 
tion.    The  heart-burnings  and  difficulties 


PLEA   FOR    PSALMODY.  113 

which  have  sometimes  existed  in  choirs,  all 
cease  under  the  influence  of  a  truly  devo- 
tional spirit — that  meek  and  heavenly  spi- 
rit which  prepares  us  to  join  the  choir  of 
the  redeemed  and  angels  above.  Could  we 
make  our  voice  heard  by  every  choir  in  our 
land,  we  would  charge  and  entreat  "Let 
not  these  things  ever  be  once  named  among 
you." 

Deeply  should  we  feel  our  dependence 
on  the  Holy  Ghost  for  that  grace  which 
enables  us  to  offer  the  worship  which  is 
acceptable  to  God.  Acknowledging  this  de- 
pendance,  let  us  look  earnestly  to  him  for 
the  necessary  and  promised  assistance. 
Without  it, 

"  In  vain  we  tune  our  formal  songs — 

In  vain  we  strive  to  rise — 
Hosannahs  languish  on  our  tongues, 

And  our  devotion  dies." 
i2 


114  PLEA    FOR    PSALMODY. 

It  is  God  alone  who  has  given  us  a  voice 
to  praise  him ;  it  is  he  who  enables  us  to 
modulate  it  aright ;  it  is  he  who  gives  us 
skill  in  using  it  melodiously,  and  permits  us 
the  high  honour  of  sounding  forth  his 
praise;  and  it  is  he  alone  who  must  give 
us  the  grace  and  prepare  our  hearts  to  har- 
monize with  the  spirit  of  our  song. 


PLEA     FOR     PSALMODY.  115 


PART   IV. 


CONCLUSION". 

"  Methinks,  when  we  are  singing  the  praises  of  God 
in  great  assemblies,  with  joyful  and  fervent  spirits,  I 
have  the  liveliest  foretaste  of  heaven  upon  earth ;  and 
I  could  almost  wish  that  our  voices  were  loud  enough 
to  reach  through  all  the  world,  and  to  heaven  itself. 
Nothing  comforts  me  more  in  my  greatest  sufferings, 
or  seems  more  fit  for  me  while  I  wait  for  death,  than 
singing  psalms  of  praise  to  God  ;  nor  is  there  any  ex- 
ercise in  which  I  had  rather  end  my  life." 

Richard  Baxter. 

1.  It  is  desirable  that  this  duty  be  deeply 
impressed  on  our  minds,  and  fully  realized 
as  of  divine  authority,  that  our  obliga- 
tions to  its  performance  may  be  felt. 


116 


PLEA    FOR    PSALMODY. 


That  worship  is  no  better  than  will- wor- 
ship that  does  not  recognize  the  authority 
which  enjoins  it.  And  if  singing  the  praises 
of  God  be  a  divine  institution,  it  ought  to  be 
diligently  and  reverently  observed.  Presi- 
dent Edwards,  the  younger,  has  said,  "As 
it  is  the  command  of  God  that  all  should 
sing,  so  all  should  make  conscience  of  learn- 
ing to  sing — as  it  is  a  thing  that  cannot  be 
decently  performed  at  all  without  learning. 
Those,  therefore,  where  there  is  no  natural 
inability,  who  neglect  to  learn  to  sing,  live 
in  sin,  as  they  neglect  what  is  necessary  in 
order  to  their  attending  one  of  the  ordi- 
nances of  God's  worship."  And  is  this  lan- 
guage too  severe  ?  Is  not  singing  as  much  a 
part  of  divine  worship  as  prayer,  and  was  it 
not  instituted  by  the  same  authority,  and 
for  the  same  great  purpose?  Can  it  then 
be  safely  neglected  ? 

And  yet  there  is  no  duty  of  religious  life 


PLEA    FOR    PSALMODY.  117 

in  which  mankind  generally,  professing  to 
worship  God,  are  more  essentially  deficient, 
and  which  they  perform.with  so  little  con- 
scientiousness and  respect  for  divine  autho- 
rity, as  singing  the  praises  of  the  Most 
High  !  In  how  many  instances  is  the  duty 
entirely  neglected?  How  often  is  its  pro- 
fessed performance  without  any  suitable 
regard  to  the  things  that  are  the  necessary 
constituents  of  music?  And  how  often, 
when  the  ear  is  charmed  with  the  music, 
is  the  heart  untouched  with  the  sentiments, 
and  even  frozen  with  unbelief? 

When  it  should  be  esteemed  our  highest 
honour,  and  privilege,  and  delight,  to 

"  Join  our  cheerful  songs 
With  angels  round  the  throne," 

how  ungrateful  and  unnatural  to  treat  the 
duty  with  neglect!     How  irreverent  to 


118  PLEA     FOR     PSALMODY. 

offer  a  sacrifice  for  the  acceptable  offering 
of  which  we  are  neither  qualified,  nor  have 
cared  to  be,  and  which,  by  reason  of  our 
want  of  preparation,  offends  against  the 
very  first  principles  of  the  duty  in  which 
we  vainly  assay  to  engage  !  And  how  pre- 
sumptuous and  impious  to  mock  the  great 
Jehovah  with  solemn  sounds  upon  a  thought- 
less tongue! 

Mr.  Mason  well  inquires,  "  In  what  esti- 
mation would  a  congregation  be  supposed 
to  hold  the  other  exercises — prayer,  for 
example — if  instead  of  listening  with  re- 
spectful attention,  and  endeavouring  to  lift 
up  their  hearts  unto  God,  they  were  to  look 
upon  it  as  a  mere  exhibition  of  elocution  ; 
or  improve  the  opportunity  to  look  around 
and  see  who  is  and  who  is  not  at  Church ; 
or  make  it  a  signal  for  restlessness  and 
noise  ?     But  how  frequently,"  he  remarks, 


; 


FLIA   FOR    PSALMODY.  119 

"  is  it  the  case  that  although  the  most  pro- 
found silence  and  attention  prevail  during 
all  the  other  parts  of  service,  even  while 
the  minister  is  reading  the  hymn  or  psalm, 
the  subject  is  forgotten  the  moment  the 
singing  commences !  *  *  The  mind  which 
was  attentive  during  the  reading  of  the 
words,  is  withdrawn  from  the  subject  the 
moment  that  exercise  commences  whose 
express  design  it  is,  by  giving  additional 
force  to  what  has  been  read,  to  deepen  the 
impression  already  made,  and  quicken  emo 
tions  already  enkindled."  This,  which  is  a 
picture  drawn  to  the  life  of  a  large  portion 
of  the  congregations  among  some  denomi- 
nations, is  more  or  less  correct  in  its  appli- 
cation to  nearly  all  worshipping  assem- 
blies. 

Nor  can  the  professed  worship  of  God 
with  sound,  without  the  heart,  be  viewed 


120  PLEA    FOR    PSALMODY. 

in  a  more  favourable  light.  Music,  without 
the  sacrifice  of  a  broken  and  contrite  spi- 
rit, can  find  no  acceptance  with  God,  the 
great  Master  of  assemblies,  more  than  the 
music  of  those  in  Israel,  whom  the  Lord, 
by  his  prophets,  reproved.  And  they  who, 
regardless  of  the  nature  of  the  duty,  so 
sing  as  to  disturb  the  devotions  of  others, 
whilst  they  offer  unto  the  Lord  "the  maim- 
ed, the  halt,  and  the  blind,"  cannot  surely 
be  considered  as  free  from  the  condemna- 
tion. 

2.  With  what  seriousness,  then,  and 
with  what  solemnity  should  we  engage  in 
this  duty!  How  conscientiously,  in  the 
fear  of  the  Lord,  with  an  eye  to  his  glory, 
and  from  a  fixed  principle  of  obedience  to 
his  authority,  should  the  duty  be  discharg- 
ed! 

"Who  hath  required  this  at  your  hands  V7 


PLEA    FOR    PSALMODY.  121 

is  an  inquiry  which  might  well  fill  with 
confusion  and  cover  with  shame  all  that  en- 
gage in  this  part  of  sacred  devotion  with- 
out endeavouring  to  attain  and  to  cherish 
the  views  which  the  Holy  Scriptures  incul- 
cate, and  which  the  Spirit  of  God  inspires. 
Professing  to  sing  the  praises  of  God,  they 
incur  the  guilt  of  drawing  nigh  unto  God 
with  the  mouth  and  honouring  him  with 
the  lips  while  the  heart  is  far  from  him. 
With  little  conscientiousness,  with  little 
thought  of  the  divine  authority,  and  with 
no  true  desire  to  please  and  honour  God, 
their  whole  soul  is  alive,  it  may  be,  to  the 
music,  and  the  ear  of  others  is  charmed : 
but  the  heart  is  untouched  by  the  spirit  of 
true  devotion — alike  unmoved  by,  and  re- 
gardless of  the  sentiment  uttered.  Unbe- 
lief itself  is  not  more  cold  than  the  heart 
often  as  to  all  religious  affection,  when  the 
ear  is  ravished,  and  the  mind  moved  by  sen- 


122  PLEA    FOR    PSALMODY. 

sations  of  the  most  exquisite  delight !  In 
the  very  exercise  which  nearest  resembles 
the  worship  of  heaven,  how  inexcusable 
unmindfulness  of  God,  or  coldness  and  dull 
formality !  Dr.  Adam  Clarke  has  said,  "A 
good  singer  among  the  people  of  God,  who 
has  not  the  life  of  God  in  his  soul,  is  '  vox, 
et  praeterea  nihil:'  "  but  it  is  more  than 
this;  for  "whatsoever  is  not  of  faith,  is 
si?i." 

Singing  the  praises  of  God,  our  souls 
should  be  filled  with  holy  reverend  awe — 
our  hearts  warmed  with  love  of  his  infi- 
nitely glorious  perfections — every  affection 
harmonized  with  the  expression  of  our  lips. 
Then,  truly  considering  the  nature  of  the 
duty,  and  that  we  address  our  homage  to 
the  every-where  present  and  omniscient 
God,  and  cherishing  those  feelings  of  rever- 
ence and  filial  awe  which  become  us,  our 


PLEA    FOR    PSALMODY.  123 

deportment  will  be  dictated  by  the  reve- 
rent and  affectionate  feelings  of  the  heart, 
and  correspond  with  our  professed  devotion. 
Thus  will  our  worship  be  accepted,  God 
honoured,  and  our  souls  saved. 

3.  Finally,  let  us  not  be  inattentive  to 
this  duty,  or  insensible  of  our  obligations  to 
worship  God  in  sincerity  and  in  truth. 

Join  in  the  praise  of  God  in  his  public 
worship.  Keeping  the  Majesty  of  heaven 
in  view,  and  deeply  impressed  with  a  sense 
of  his  infinite  greatness  and  goodness,  and 
of  our  obligations,  unite  with  the  music  of 
the  voice,  the  melody  of  the  heart.  Then, 
"  making  melody  in  our  hearts  unto  the 
Lord,"  we  may  hope  for  the  approbation 
of  conscience,  and  the  high  approval  of 
our  God.  "  Whoso  offereth  praise,  glo- 
sifieth  me  :" — and  what  are  the  plaudits 


124  PLEA     FOR     PSALMODY. 

of  dying  men,  to  the  approbation  of  our 
final  Judge? 

As  often  as  it  is  said,  in  the  expressive 
language  of  our  service,  "  O  Lord,  open 
thou  our  lips,"  let  the  full  and  fixed  deter- 
mination of  every  heart  be,  "  And  our 
mouth  shall  show  forth  thy  praise."  And 
as  often  as  the  exhortation  falls  upon  the 
ear,  "  Praise  ye  the  Lord,"  rejoicing  in  the 
grateful  and  heavenly  employment,  let  the 
whole  hea'rt  respond,  "  The  Lord's  name 
be  praised."  Say,  "Awake  up  my  glory; 
awake,  psaltery  and  harp."  "  O  God,  my 
heart  is  fixed ;  I  will  sing  and  give  praise 
even  with  my  glory" — "  While  I  live  will  I 
praise  the  Lord ;  I  will  sing  praises  unto 
my  God  while  I  have  any  being ;" — "  every 
day  will  I  bless  thee,  and  I  will  praise  thy 
name  for  ever  and  ever." — "  Praise  ye  the 
Lord:  praise  the  Lord,  0  my  soul." 


Blessed  be  Jehovah  God, 
God  of  Israel,  alone  performing  wonders; 

And  blessed  be  his  name  of  glort, 
And  let  his  glort  fill  the  whole  earth— 
Amen  and  amen. 
[Bishop  Horsletfs  translation  of  Psalms. 


K  Z 


PSALM   62 

From  the  8\st  Psalm  of  David 

]■  To  God,  our  never-failing  strength. 

With  loud  applauses  sing : 
And  jointly  make  a  cheerful  noise 

To  Jacob's  awful  King. 

2.  Compose  a  hymn  of  praise,  and  touch 
Your  instruments  of  joy  ; 

Let  psalteries  and  tuneful  harps 
Your  grateful  skill  employ. 

3.  Let  trumpets  at  the  festival 
Their  joyful  voices  raise, 

To  celebrate  th'  appointed  time, 
The  solemn  day  of  praise. 

4.  For  this  a  statute  was  of  old, 
Which  Jacob's  God  decreed, 

To  be  with  pious  care  observ'd 
By  Israel's  chosen  seed. 


APPENDIX. 

After  what  has  been  said  in  the  foregoing 
4  Plea  for  Sacred  Music,'  it  may  not  be 
amiss  to  add  a  brief  notice  of  the  history 
of  music  in  the  world  to  the  present  time. 

It  has  already  been  suggested  that  mu- 
sic is  very  ancient.  Although  we  may  not 
be  able  to  define  the  time  and  manner  of 
its  first  introduction  by  proof  positive,  yet 
it  is  clearly  evident  that  from  the  time 
when  the  first  mention  of  it  is  made,  the 
Holy  Scriptures,  both  of  the  Old  and  New 
Testaments,  and  also  ancient  profane  his- 
tory, with  the  writings  of  later  times,  have 
borne  uninterrupted  succession  of  testimo- 
ny to  its  use,  and  have  united  in  commend- 


128 


APPENDIX. 


ing  its  influence  in  soothing  the  evil  pas- 
sions, animating  the  affections,  refining  the 
senses,  or  contributing  to  devotion. 

It  is  clear  that  among  the  Hebrews,  mu- 
sic has  been  in  general  use,  from  the  time 
of  Moses.  In  their  religious  services,  in 
their  public  and  private  rejoicings,  at  their 
feasts,  and  in  their  mournings,  it  has  ever 
found  a  distinguished  place.  In  these  per- 
formances both  sexes  have  borne  a  part, 
as  have  also  legislators  and  prophets, 
judges  and  kings.  Of  the  precise  nature 
of  the  Hebrew  music,  we  may  not  speak 
with  confidence,  since  it  is  admitted  on  all 
hands  that,  at  the  most,  all  modern  theories 
concerning  it,  are  little  better  than  conjec- 
ture. From  its  effects,  its  magnificence,  its 
majesty,  and  the  lofty  and  beautiful  senti- 
ment of  their  songs,  however,  we  naturally 
infer  the  great  excellence  of  the  music. 


APPENDIX.  129 

Ancient  heathen  testimony  shows  the 
practice  and  influence  of  music  in  the  ear- 
ly ages  both  of  Greece  and  Rome.  Among 
the  ancient  Greeks,  music  and  poetry,  for 
a  long  time,  constituted  an  important  part 
of  national  education,  and  were  the  grand 
medium  of  instruction  in  policy,  morality, 
and  virtue.  Their  youth  were  made  fami- 
liar with  the  lyre  and  song,  as  an  appro- 
priate recreation  and  important  discipline 
tending  to  all  that  is  amiable,  ennobling, 
and  praiseworthy  in  mind  or  manners.  The 
statesman,  the  warrior,  the  man  of  general 
science,  and  the  bard,  were  alike  interested 
in  the  exercise,  while  the  priest  regarded 
music  as  an  important  part  of  the  religious 
service  in  their  heathen  rites.  And  al- 
though, among  the  ancient  Romans,  music 
seems  to  have  been  less  understood  and  re- 
fined than  even  in  the  fabulous  ages  of 
Greece,  yet  as  the  arts  and  sciences  ad- 


130  APPENDIX. 

vanced  among  them,  their  melody  and  songs 
improved. 

That  the  immemorial  practice  of  the 
Hebrew  church,  in  chanting  psalms  and 
hymns  in  their  sacred  worship,  was  conti- 
nued by  our  Lord  and  his  disciples,  is  also 
evident.  It  is  not  indeed  improbable  that 
some  parts  of  the  music  of  the  primitive 
church  may  have  been  in  some  instances, 
as  has  been  conjectured  by  some,  "an  ad- 
mixture of  the  music  of  the  heathen  tem- 
ples," since  there  were  converts  from  these; 
but  it  is  more  than  probable  that  it  was 
chiefly  formed  on  the  model  of  that  used  by 
the  Jewish  church. 

Coming  down  to  the  4th  century,  we  find 
it  ordained  by  the  Council  of  Laodicea, 
that  none  shall  sing  in  the  churches  but  the 
canons  or  singing-men ;  others  having  evi- 


APPENDIX.  131 

dently  been  accustomed  afore  to  join  in 
this  part  of  the  service,  and  probably  in  a 
very  rude  and  inartificial  manner,  which 
circumstance  may  have  led  to  the  decree  of 
exclusion.  In  consequence  of  this  decree, 
the  practice  and  cultivation  of  music  be- 
came henceforward  the  exclusive  and  ap- 
propriate business  of  ecclesiastics;  and  the 
musical  science  for  a  long  time  was  under 
the  almost  entire  direction  of  priests  and 
monks.  Among  the  distinguished  promoters 
of  sacred  music  at  this  age,  were  those 
celebrated  fathers  of  the  church,  St.  Basil, 
St.  Ambrose,  St.  Jerome,  and  St.  Chrysos- 
lom.  At  this  period,  the  "Ambrosian 
chant,"  or  antiphonal  mode  of  singing,  that 
is  of  verses  alternately  by  the  choir,  was 
introduced  and  extensively  adopted  in  the 
church. 

In  the  6th  century,  we  find  among  the 


132  APPENDIX. 

most  distinguished  patrons  and  efficient 
promoters  of  the  science,  the  name  of  one 
of  the  Bishops  of  Rome,  Gregory  I.  In- 
venting the  simple  notation  by  the  seven 
first  letters  of  the  Roman  alphabet,  he  also 
"  increased  the  number  of  tones  from  four 
(the  tetrachord,)  to  eight,  (the  octave,)  and 
also  introduced  the  "  Gregorian  chant,"  or 
plain  song,  in  which  the  choir  and  people 
sing  in  union.  A  school  for  sacred  music 
was  established  and  richly  endowed  by  this 
profound  master  of  the  musical  science, 
and  was  for  some  time  directed  by  himself 
in  person.  It  continued  and  flourished  for 
three  hundred  years  after  his  death.  At 
this  period  Rome  was  for  a  long  time  the 
"  school  of  the  prophets,"  for  perfection  in 
the  art  of  music,  and  many  of  the  clergy 
repaired  thither  from  distant  countries  for 
improvement  in  this  branch  of  science.  At 
the  close  of  this  century  a  school  for  musi- 


APPENDIX.  133 

cal  instruction  was  established  at  Canter- 
bury by  St.  Austin. 

Near  the  close  of  the  9th  century,  Al- 
fred the  Great,  himself  excelling  in  music, 
founded  a  professorship  of  music  at  Oxford. 
Great  encouragement  was  given  to  im- 
provement in  the  art,  the  practice  was  re- 
commended to  general  notice,  music  was 
considered  an  important  part  of  polite  edu- 
cation, and  the  science  was  greatly  ad- 
vanced. 

At  the  dawn  of  the  Reformation,  the 
effect  of  music,  in  connexion  with  the  of- 
fices of  religion,  was  grand  and  imposing; 
and  it  became  a  question  of  moment  with 
the  Reformers,  in  what  way  the  art  might 
be  rendered  most  important,  as  an  aux- 
iliary in  effecting  their  purposes.  On  this 
point  they  differed.     Luther  had  imbibed 


134  APPENDIX. 

and  cherished  from  his  verv  childhood,  a 
fondness  and  taste  for  music ;  and  he  held 
it  in  very  high  esteem  for  its  capability  of 
moral  influence  upon  the  human  heart  and 
life.  It  might,  he  believed,  "make  the 
people  gentler,  milder,  more  moral,  and 
wiser."  He  was  led,  therefore,  to  pursue 
a  very  different  course  in  respect  to  church 
music,  from  that  of  his  coadjutor,  the  great 
Genevan  Reformer.  Calvin  showed  his 
hostility  to  the  pretensions  of  Rome,  by  an 
utter  and  complete  rejection  of  all  the 
usages  of  her  church ;  and  for  more  than  a 
century  after  the  Reformation, "  not  a  mu- 
sical instrument  was  suffered  within  the 
walls  of  Geneva.  Music,  except  his  own 
plain  metrical  psalmody,  was  proscribed 
wherever  the  doctrines  of  Calvin  were  re- 
ceived." Luther  was  restrained  from  this 
proscription,  by  at  least  his  own  skill  and 
proficiency  in  the  musical  art.     Although, 


APPENDIX.  135 

bold  and  fearless  in  the  great  work  of  re- 
form, he  attacked  the  errors  of  doctrine  in 
the  Romish  Church  without  compromise, 
yet  he  says  that  he  "  never  meant  to  abo- 
lish all  external  forms  of  worship,  but  to 
purge  that  which  had  hitherto  been  used, 
and  to  show  what  was  the  true  christian 
way."  Anxious  to  avail  himself  of  the 
melody  then  in  use,  for  carrying  forward 
his  purposes,  he  directed  and  caused  a  re- 
ligious service  in  his  own  language  to  be 
adapted  to  the  ancient  and  noble  music  al- 
ready in  use,  proposing  also  a  variety  of 
newly  versified  psalms  and  hymns,  together 
with  additional  music.  Some  of  these 
tunes,  supposed  to  be  composed  by  himself, 
are  among  the  best  in  use  at  the  present 
day.  Zuingle  joined  with  Luther  in  his 
views  of  sacred  music,  of  which  he  was 
extravagantly  fond,  and  which  he  never 
ceased  to  cultivate  while  he  lived. 


136  APPENDIX. 

In  England  the  desire  was  that  of  Lu- 
ther in  Germany,  to  purify  religion  of  all 
that  was  corrupt,  carefully  retaining  all 
that  was  good.  The  appropriate  music  of 
the  church,  was,  therefore,  retained,  "  re- 
duced nevertheless,  to  that  state  of  purity 
and  simplicity  from  which  it  had  devi- 
ated." Henry  VIIL,  having  been  himself 
educated  with  some  reference  to  ecclesias- 
tical life,  was  thoroughly  skilled  in  music  ; 
and  it  was  his  pleasure,  as  it  was  that  of 
Wolsey,  and  others  of  the  royal  family  and 
nobility,  to  have  this  part  of  public  service 
preserved  in  its  most  solemn  and  appro- 
priate form. 

Edward  VI.,  Mary,  and  Elizabeth,  "in 
succeeding  reigns,  were  all  practical  mu- 
sicians, and  cherished  a  great  fondness  for 
the  musical  art."  Queen  Elizabeth,  call- 
ing to  the  work  one  pre-eminently  qualified 


APPENDIX,  137 

for  the  task,  in  the  person  of  Archbishop 
Parker,  was  enabled  to  effect  in  this  part 
of  divine  service  great  improvements,  to 
which  we  have  referred  in  the  body  of  this 
work. 

Under  the  usurpation  of  Cromwell,  the 
progress  of  sacred  music  was  interrupted, 
Music  was  banished  from  the  church,  and 
even  in  a  great  measure  from  private  fa- 
milies. Organs  in  churches  and  chapels 
were  ordered  to  be  taken  down,  and  it  has 
been  well  remarked,  that  "  the  fury  of  the 
populace  was  not  less  conspicuous  in  the 
demolition  of  these  instruments,  than  in 
the  impious  zeal  with  which  they  disfigured 
whatever  else  had  been  used  in  the  service 
of  God." 

"  On  the  restoration  of  Charles  II.,  and 
the  return  of  the  clergy  to  the  station  and 

1,2 


238  APPENDIX. 

property  of  which  they  had  been  despoil- 
ed, the  next  measure,  after  the  establish- 
ment of  the  liturgy,  was  the  revival  of 
sacred  melody." 

This  was  accomplished  not  without  diffi- 
culty, since  few  persons  could  be  found 
who  were  competent  to  lead  and  sustain 
the  parts  of  this  service,  those  who  had 
formerly  been  engaged  in  this  duty  having 
been  scattered  as  were  their  instruments 
of  music.  Efforts,  however,  were  made, 
corresponding  with  the  importance  of  the 
object  and  the  necessity  of  the  case;  books 
of  instruction  were  written;  services  and 
anthems  composed,  to  supply  the  place  of 
those  which  were  lost ;  able  persons  were 
appointed  to  teach  and  conduct  the  choir  ; 
and  by  the  help  of  the  musical  taste  and 
science  of  the  king  and  the  direct  encour- 
agement given  by  him  to  the  work,  this 


APPENDIX.  139 

portion  of  the  service  of  God  was  ulti- 
mately redeemed,  "and  established  very 
nearly  upon  the  footing  on  which  it  stands 
(in  the  church)  at  the  present  time." 

Previous  to  the  turbulent  period  which 
followed  the  days  of  Charles  I.,  the  office 
of  clerk  was  one  of  great  importance  in 
the  musical  department  of  the  church. 
As  an  ecclesiastic,  (being  literally  an  as- 
sistant to  the  clergyman  in  the  ministerial 
duties  of  his  office,  as  the  title  clericus  im- 
ports.) his  education  was  suited  to  the  sa- 
cred nature  of  his  calling,  and  the  impor- 
tant duties  of  his  station.  After  this  pe- 
riod, the  office  was  neglected  or  deserted, 
and  the  musical  art  lost  ground.  To  the 
discontinuance  of  this  office,  or  to  the  low 
estimate  which  prevailed  in  respect  to  the 
requisite  qualifications  for  it,  which  either 
led  to  its  abandonment,  or  introduced  in- 


140  APTENDIX. 

competent  and  unworthy  persons  to  its 
duties,  has  been  attributed  by  many,  in 
great  measure,  the  miserable  minstrelsy 
which  has  prevailed  in  so  great  a  degree  in 
public  worship  in  more  modern  times.  The 
leaders  and  their  choirs  beingaltogether  un- 
fitted to  enjoy  the  beautiful  simplicity,  and 
to  produce  the  happy  effect  contemplated 
by  appropriate  music,  fuges  and  other  la- 
boured pieces  have  been  introduced  which 
are  as  inappropriate  to  public  worship,  as 
they  are  generally  badly  performed  and 
calculated  to  move  contempt  for  the  per- 
formers and  leader  and  destroy  the  true 
feeling  of  devotion. 

It  is  here  worthy  of  remark  that  the 
interests  of  true  religion  have  generally 
been  most  advanced  when  sacred  music 
has  been  most  esteemed  and  cultivated ; 
or,  perhaps  it  were  better  to  say,  the  ad* 


APPENDIX.  141 

vancement  of  the  art  has  always  followed 
the  revival  of  correct  views  and  truly  sound 
religious  feeling.  Appropriate  sacred  mu- 
sic has,  also,  generally  found  its  chief  ad- 
vocates and  promoters  among  those  "  to 
whom  the  church  has  ever  been  accus- 
tomed to  look  up,  as  to  her  guides  and  in- 
structors in  the  worship  of  God."  There 
is  great  occasion,  however,  for  regret,  that 
the  clergy  are  not  more  generally  and 
deeply  interested  in  this  subject  and  skilled 
in  music.  It  was  formerly  required,  by 
certain  of  the  English  Universities,  that 
those  who  would  aspire  to  a  fellowship, 
should  to  a  certain  degree,  be  proficients 
in  the  art  of  music :  the  statutes  directing 
that  such  shall  be  "  bene  nati,  bene  vestiti, 
et  mediocriter  docti  in  piano  caatu.'9  It 
were  well  if  this  were  required,  at  least 
in  Theological  Schools,  at  the  present  day. 
Then  might  many  of  us  who  are  called  to 


142  APPENDIX. 

minister  at  the  altar,  be  saved  from  the 
misfortune  of  conscious  deficiency  in  the 
performance  of  this  important  duty,  and 
might  find  ourselves  in  a  situation  to  do 
more  in  encouraging  the  well-disposed,  and 
assisting  in  the  psalmody  of  the  church. 

At  the  present  day,  that  music  which 
has  been  cherished  and  most  approved 
by  the  church  in  every  age,  and  for 
which  she  has  suffered  reproach,  we 
have  already  intimated,  is  gradually  com- 
ing into  use  amongst  almost  all  the  va- 
rious denominations  into  which  Christen- 
dom is  divided.  Much,  however,  remains 
to  be  done  to  perfect  this  part  of  divine 
service,  in  all  our  churches.  The  spirit  of 
psalmody  is  abroad  in  the  churches;  but 
much  is  to  be  done  to  raise  and  establish 
this  part  of  worship,  as  the  best  good  of 
the  church  and  the  holy  service  of  God  re- 


APPENDIX. 


143 


quire  and  demand.  Every  Pastor  should 
feel  his  responsibility  in  this  matter,  every 
pulpit  should  plead  the  cause  of  sacred 
psalmody,  and  every  family  should  have 
the  means  in  their  hands  of  a  better  know- 
ledge of  their  obligations  in  respect  to  the 
public  praises  of  God. 


**  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  evert  mi- 
nister, WITH  SUCH  ASSISTANCE  AS  HE 
CAN  OBTAIN  FROM  PERSONS  SKILLED  IN 
MUSIC,  TO  GIVE  ORDER  CONCERNING 
THE  TUNES  TO  BE  SUNG  AT  ANT  TIME 
IK  HIS  church;  AND  ESPECIALLT  IT 
SHALL  BE  HIS  DUTT  TO  SUPPRESS  ALL 
LIGHT  AND  UNSEEMLT  MUSIC,  AND  ALL 
INDECENCT  AND  IRREVERENCE  IN  THE 
PERFORMANCE,  BT  WHICH  VAIN  AND 
UNGODLT  PERSONS  PROFANE  THE  SER- 
VICE OF    THE   SANCTUART." Canon  of 

the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church. 


I 


